Ever since the immense success of TWS’s Plot Twist, I’ve been wondering if bright boy group fare would come back into vogue. That seems to be happening slowly but surely, and Fantasy Boys’ Pitter-Patter-Love (분명 그녀가 나를 보고 웃잖아) is a great example of the form. I haven’t paid too much attention to this group yet, but this is easily their strongest single.

While Pitter-Patter-Love may not reinvent any pop music wheels, its buoyant sound and addictive melodies target the pleasure centers of your brain with undeniable accuracy. It continues a run of (very) early summer boy group tracks, adding a bubblegum twist to this upbeat style. Its bubbling percussion recalls Astro’s Baby, while pitched-down backing vocals in the chorus offer a shot of Red Velvet Red Flavor weirdness. But at its core, Pitter-Patter-Love feels more in touch with K-pop’s second generation. Despite its silly title, the song relies heavily on robust melody rather than gimmicks, anchored by a chorus that will capture you from the very first listen.

The song isn’t perfect — especially during verse two’s distracting phrasing — and may be too slight for its own good, but I’ll always be biased toward lighthearted K-pop like this. I foresee a long summer life for Pitter-Patter-Love on my playlist.

Grade: B+