Review

Song Review: Red Velvet – Cosmic

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Red Velvet - CosmicSometimes I forget just how bulletproof the first five years of Red Velvet’s discography was. I’ve been less enthused with their post-2019 output, but even when the music wasn’t my cup of tea the group’s vocals still impressed. They’re one of the premiere girl groups of the last decade, and their tenth anniversary should see them celebrated as such. New single Cosmic arrives with little promotional fanfare from SM Entertainment, but fortunately the song hits where it counts.

Cosmic is a return to form. It’s easily Red Velvet’s best title track in years, offering a sleek, stately disco pop energy. Co-composed by longtime SM talent Kenzie, the song dispenses with gimmicks and samples in favor of a classic, melodic approach. Its verses work well enough, but Cosmic‘s true charm lies in its layered, megawatt chorus. This segment takes full advantage of the group’s gorgeous vocal blend, delivering a soaring melody they can really sink their teeth into. Wispy strings add to the sense of grandeur, adding heft to Cosmic‘s already-dramatic arrangement. This continues into the song’s final minute, which fully embraces its celestial tone.

If I had things my way, Cosmic‘s tempo would increase by a few steps throughout. The track is begging for a remix that backs its melodic drama with an equally banging energy. Imagine this chorus with a euphoric house or trance beat adding to its fuel. Cosmic opts for elegance and opulence instead, and I can’t fault it too much for that (even if it may cost it a “bias” point in the end).

Hooks 9
 Production 9
 Longevity 9
 Bias 8
 RATING 8.75

Grade: B+

47 thoughts on “Song Review: Red Velvet – Cosmic”

  1. Ooh, she’s elegant as hell! I really enjoyed it and have been playing it on loop all day. It sounds like a beautiful, breezy wonderland (which is ironic cause I was listening to it while I was out for a walk and it was so humid istg). Alright, yapping aside, I must say this is the strongest ReVe track in a while. The verses are funky, the chorus is beautiful, and hey, it’s around 3 minutes AND 40 seconds, almost 4 minutes! You hardly see that in K-Pop nowadays!

    It sucks how SM can’t even properly promote the girls during their 10th anniversary of all things. From the delayed MV (probs due to possible copyright with Midsommar) to possible AI generated teasers. But hey, who the hell am I to complain when we got a gorgeous song at the end of it?

    A straight 9 for me if I’m being honest.

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  2. I agree with you on it being RV’s best title track! I’m living for the synths. It’s such a beautiful song and I enjoyed the bridge. This is a great way to celebrate their 10th anniversary imo.

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    • best title track in a while*

      when you can’t edit your comments here this happens smh…

      I do agree that the promos were kinda lackluster but hey! We got a good title track in the end.

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  3. I really love it. Red Velvet’s best single in years indeed! I do get what you are saying about something more euphoric but I also don’t feel they missed the mark by sticking to the the celestial concept. I love the album too. After SM was lazy with promoting this I didn’t expect much but boy this is great stuff.

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  4. This feels like the song I wanted Umpah Umpah to be back in the day. More than just good vocals it sounds like a magical and fun time, I’m so happy for them and this song. It feels worthy of them as veterans and does point both to their maturity but also their whimsy.

    I haven’t heard the rest of the mini yet but I am hopeful it will hit me just as nicely as this did.

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  6. I really enjoyed the track. On a side note, it’s interesting that there hasn’t been a top 10 album tracks for Red Velvet as of yet. I’m interested to see what are your favorite b-sides from them

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      • I think it would be nice if you could do a K-Pop A-Z for Red Velvet and review all of the b-sides in their discography ; although I think it could be too much work.

        With that said, I don’t think we had a top 10 album tracks in a while so it would be nice to do it as a way to commemorate their 10th anniversary.

        I would also be curious if you could do a ranking for the title tracks just so that we could see how well they grew or fell on you overtime.

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          • The K-pop A-Z feature is a *massive* undertaking. I’ve considered doing it again (maybe even this year), but I really have to pump myself up for it.

            It’s probably more likely that it would end up being a group with a smaller discography, though I would love to have favorites like SHINee, SNSD or TVXQ as part of the tradition. We’ll see!

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  7. Not to be dramatic, but this is a 10/10 for me and this mere B+ rating is shocking. As someone who was introduced to kpop only recently, I’m unfamiliar with 3rd gen groups. However, as soon as I heard the chorus, I really felt like I was riding on the rhythm soaring through the solar system on the Mario kart rainbow road. I’m going to try listening to RV’s older stuff now!

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    • Welcome to k-pop! Hope you find some amazing gems from RV’s discography. Their discography has been pretty solid with amazing bops; especially during their first few years.

      If you want some recommendations, I’ll try to give you some too. Would be curious to know what genres you love and then I can suggest some songs that match your taste.

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  8. 😯Wooah. So pretty, ethereal, really one of their best ones! Not to mention how much better it is than that last winter comeack (whatever the name was). I think the track will be good enough to stand without much promotion, sometimes a good track is all you need..

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  9. So this song has that rare thing in kpop these days known as a Key Change. Back when, Red Velvet were one of the regulars of the key change – their Ice Cream Cake is the perfect example, different key in the verses versus the choruses.

    Here a similar thing happens, the verses are in a minor key then the choruses switch to a major, which is why it just seems to brighten up and change without seeming to change.

    Also, very nice singing. Very nice. Girls can sing.

    As for the pace, this is a sprightly mid-tempo. I am sure someone somewhere is moving the speed up a tic or two and laying a beat underneath already. 1.15x or 1.2x is about perfect for those who want it faster. But it also works at its current tempo.

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    • as far as tempo goes. I think we should all just take a moment here and really appreciate the balls a major group has to have a 3:46 song as their title track and not a 2:30. When was the last time that happened these past 2 years? 😭

      its been one of the few times I felt a song wasn’t created for goldfish tiktok’ers and nothing felt rushed or added just because

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  10. I’d give it 8/10 for now, but their music grows on me in a big way, so 9/10 is possible. The other songs are good too, some of them more striking than “Cosmic.” A really good summer mini-album and it sits happily with the rest of their material. 👍

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  11. This is their best “velvet” single in many years. Even though I tend to prefer their “red” tunes, Cosmic is at least a 9 for me;. I’m enjoying the rest of the EP as well. Sunflower could be a single too.

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    • I can see where you’re coming from on that – the production and SM harmony framework probably contributes a lot in that regard

      Honestly this might sound wild but I thought it was very melodically similar to ‘I’m alive’ by Becca (the chorus specifically) (but it might just be because I listened on 1.25 speed – drastic improvement)

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    • Absolutely. I thought the same thing as soon as i heard the strings in the first part of the chorus. This project just seems like a huge love letter to Sweden, since Midsommer is about the Swedish summer solstice celebrations AND since Abba are Swedish. I would also add that some of the producers of the song are swedish.

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  13. I originally didn’t have high expectations for Cosmic due to its promotions and conceot photos (AI was used which led me to think it was going to be some cheap comeback). However, I love that bridge and that subtle dance break (unsure if you can even call it that). The song is so elegant and, in my opinion, their best title track in a long time. For me, this gets at least a 9.

    (The bsides are also elegant and easy-listens)

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  15. I really loved the track. I’ve been replaying it all day. Same with the stunning music video.

    The song is great as it is but on first listen I was wishing for the tempo to slow down so the melody wouldn’t feel rushed. If I was producing the song I would’ve left an element from the chorus to remain during the second verse

    a densely layered chorus over a house or a trance beat sounds good, but I don’t think this is the song to do it with…

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  16. I’m probably in the minority here because I don’t like this. It bores me to death and I can’t remember a single tune after few listens. It feels like they tried to do another feel my rhythm but more “dreamy” yet less catchy. Love the midsommar inspiration for the mv but that’s it.

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  17. I shed tears after listening to this, I have been a stan since I was 12 and now I’m 16, red velvet was one of my firsts and i love them with all my heart.

    9.75/10❤️

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  18. Okay my only gripe with this is that the music video is inspired by Midsommar but the music (especially the strings) gives disco.

    When I see old folk traditions like the maypole dance and elements of traditional clothing styles in the video I’m thinking of folk music: flutes, fiddles, drums, even accordion, and instead I’m hearing something contemporary and disco-like that conjures up different images in my head. It sometimes felt mismatched to me.

    I know the song probably comes long before the music video concept, but I wish they could’ve included some more acoustic, folksy sounds. It would make them stand out even more and really sell this concept.

    Still, it’s a good song. Red Velvet delivered.

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  19. I could def feel some emotion which is rare nowadays in kpop. The chorus is so pleasing to listen to. As a song I prefer Chill Kill. It felt more dynamic whereas this–while def good–felt like it was missing some energy to take it to great.

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  20. Am I hearing a bit of Abba?

    I like the song well enough, but not sure if it’s something that’ll stick with me.

    Probably an 8 ish hook for me, otherwise same.

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  21. I loved this instantly. I realized I was stuck wanting another “Psycho” track from them, but this song has elements of “Psycho” in a different form. It’s ethereal, a thumping synth bop with heavenly strings and a creepy vibe. Everything about it made me appreciate this side of Red Velvet even more. While I would love the chorus to up the BPM a bit, the nostalgic sound like they’re savoring the melody already hits all the marks for me, and I’m content with it. I just wished SM didn’t fucked everything up in promotions. Delayed MV, AI Concept Photos, the girls not knowing why SM isn’t saying they have an album coming out, ugh! They don’t deserve this on their 10th anniversary.

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  22. it’s not often that i agree with Nick, but i agree with him in that i too was not much into Red Velvet’s output (for me it was after “Psycho,” which i believe to be a masterpiece and one of my top 5 Red Velvet cuts) in the last few years….but, this comeback, “Cosmic,” really hits my k-pop spot!….this is the stuff that i love from our Velvet queens!….

    vocals are top-notch (as always with any of their songs), production is on point (Kenzie can write and produce her azz off! – she is spectacular!), the video shows the ladies are unified and having fun, and their visuals….my goodness, don’t they look amazing!

    when i go to the lyric video to listen to the song again and enjoy each member’s vocal parts, that means i am really locked into the song….i love it!….thank you for the summer hit, ladies….love it!….love you!….keep fighting and please don’t keep us waiting for more for too long….

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  23. Similar to ONF’s Bye My Monster, when I listened to this song for the first time, I just had to stop everything I was doing and give it my full attention. I don’t know if I like it better than Psycho or In My Dreams, but it is a wonderful song. Loved it…9.25

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  24. this certainly topped Chill Kill for me, and I can see it growing. (Though unlikely to top Psychomas my all time fav). I just really appreciate a full prechorus-chorus-post choruses in a single track! That bridge slapped too.

    intro immediately hooked me, we’ve been missing those instant grabs

    9.5/10 for me

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  25. I have to say, although FMR, Birthday, and Chill Kill were are growers, this is the first Red Velvet song I’ve liked upon first listen in a while. I’d go so far as to call it an instant classic.

    In part it’s because of that sweeping chorus, which is reminiscent of Oh My Girl!’s “Secret Garden”, as well as other similar songs like Into the New World. But it’s also things like how the opening bassline is almost the same as Slave 4 U. (And the first verse is very similar to that song Vanessa Williams just put out lol)

    I do wish that they’d done a little bit more of a GFRIEND thing; I heard a rumor Naoko Takeuchi was going to be involved and really hoped for another Fallin Light or something. I also wish that Irene and Yeri got more singing lines; they’ve had a decent amount recently and I enjoyed it (Wildside). I’d’ve enjoyed another interpolation of a classic like they did in FMR and Birthday.

    But again, all those songs were growers. This has been a good song from the start. Great anniversary.

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