Alongside their full-group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. Following the hip-hop team’s LALALI comes the performance team’s Spell.
My favorite unit tracks often emerge from the performance team, but given the nature of their specialty these songs also tend to benefit from an accompanying visual. Spell certainly fits this criteria, making it difficult to review on its own. Coupled with choreography, its vibe-heavy sound enjoys new life not present within the track itself.
There’s no point in reviewing a song for what it’s not, but I can ascribe value based on my own taste and preferences. Spell is much more downbeat than many of the performance team’s tracks — almost hypnotic in its flowing repetition. The guys have embraced the percussion and mood of Afrobeats and this instrumental is impeccably produced. I love the reverb on their vocals, matching the hazy, dreamlike energy of the melodies. But when it comes down to it, there’s just not enough here to compel me. It’s an entrancing vibe that could improve with a more dynamic arrangement. But if it did that, it would be a completely different style of song so it’s hard to deny Spell‘s effectiveness within its own constraints.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Â Production | 8 |
| Â Longevity | 8 |
| Â Bias | 7 |
| Â RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
The sound is airy and stays airy through out. I kind of think it would benefit from some kind of built up. Else as is, it’s a lil repetitive and dull. Take away visuals and choreography there isnt much. Part of it feels like a commercial/ad sound. Wanted to like it but just didnt.
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The Killa by TXT recently was a great afrobeat song, this song feels a little plain next to it. Also IVE tried afro beat/house recently which was nice to hear.
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welp since kpop at large wants to do afrobeats rn i kinda wish theyd branch out a lil more and do smthn like this
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Performance team have always had my favorite unit songs, this one is just okay. When I first heard it, I was like, oh ok, nothing special but watching the video definitely helped. I really love how Jun and Minghao’s vocals sound on this. They both have this airy-ness sound that i’ve always loved. This song just made me pray for another Jun/Minghao song, we’re way overdue for one.
And part of me kind of wishes kpop would give the afrobeats and jersey club inspo a rest. Its been run into the ground and sounds repetitive in kpop songs. These are two genres that kpop does not excel in (sorry not sorry) and if they’re going to continue dabbling in, then please get producers that are proficient (maybe not the right word) in these genres. Rant over…I still love the performance team.
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I admit pu isn’t my fave svt unit song-wise (still waiting for vu mv) but i appreciate their artistry and i deffo like their vibe and esp for this song/mv.. The song is fine tho and will probs listen to it again
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I’m heavily biased toward this unit and sonically this is like 247 for me…pleasant, lulling, nice to have on in the background. The MV really makes me wish they had done one for Wave, which I think could have had a similar though darker aesthetic.
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I might be really biased here, but I loved the song so much. I dig Afrobeat and this coming from seventeen’s performance team with a whole MV and an amazing performance to accompany, impressed me very much. I agree that the song on its own is just okay but the MV and performance really come together to create a “spell” effect. And as they are the “performance” team after all, I can happily cut some slack for it. Also, I personally think it was Hoshi who shined overall in here, both vocally and performance wise.
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I love this song, but the vocal arrangement feels super off beat at some parts
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More like a mood sample than a song
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The song’s nice. That’s all I can say.
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