Rookie boy group ALL(H)OURS has been in the news recently, as K-pop titan JYP Entertainment recently listed their agency as a subsidiary. I’m not sure what this means when it comes to company resources, but it does get their new release plum placement on JYP’s YouTube channel. Given this development, it’s the perfect time for the group to unveil their pre-release single Graffiti.
Everyone’s doing a pre-release these days, affording them the chance to showcase various sounds in the lead-up to album promotions. For Graffiti, ALL(H)OURS go for a very trendy, predictable boy group style. I could throw a stone in any direction and land upon a song exactly like this. I swear K-pop used to have more variety! Or maybe that’s simply nostalgia giving me rose-colored glasses. Regardless, there’s not an original idea within Graffiti‘s frame.
If you’re not going to strive for originality, you must deliver your tropes in the most engaging way possible. This is where the bedrock of songwriting comes in: elements like melody, momentum and climax. Unfortunately, Graffiti laces its skittering, pots-and-pans production with chanted sing-talk and fragmented hooks that crater just as you hope they’d blossom. Nothing here is objectively bad and if I were brand new to K-pop I might even enjoy the track. But as someone who’s heard this template hundreds of times before, there’s simply no compelling reason for Graffiti to exist.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
the song’s chorus could be more robust, while the arrangement refers to the musical tropes typical of boy groups. The performance energy is also quite typical, evoking interpretative nuances of groups like Stray Kids or Xikers. Despite this, it remains a cool composition
so far this was the only song from January that I found really attractive although when I hear the name Graffiti only the song by ATBO appears in my mind
8.75 (9, 9, 8, 9)
I’m glad I placed my trust in them and hope to achieve the same success with CIX. Thunder seems to suit me
don’t watch if you don’t like spoilers
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Standard boy group fare. I give it a 7, just cause every year I grow more tired of the sound.
Talking about boy groups, I heard SM is planning to debut a new one. A few days an ago I revisited the MAMA EP CD, and man, I don’t know what happened, but that debut is incomparable, they really put all stops. Here’s to hoping that we can recapture some of that magic with the new group. If 5th gen is beige pop, let’s hope the later half reinvents itself, as we had a glimmer of hope in 2024’s output.
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One of the strongest mini albums ever released in K-pop, imo!
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I like the engaging production of the song, though they could amp up the percussions by a bit more. From the two tracks of this group I’ve heard (Shock and Psycho Mantra), they have pretty cool production. But ofc, they need a standout hook to match the production (which I admit those two songs lack). The hooks here has a decent amount of melody to it, although nothing particularly spectacular. Idk how I’ll feel about it in a few days, but for now, I’m eager to give it a few more listens.
A straight 8 for me.
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Graffiti by ALL(H)OURS continues their venture in a melodic hip-hop direction since debut and I have to be honest ever since the neo sound came to the scene in 2020s I needed my melodic hip-hop back and what makes this even moreso for me is the fact that you have UK techno here — not a lot of K-pop has UK techno and them introducing phonk to the scene is very needed variety.
That chorus is busy as heck and its so festive that I really dig it and the mixing of it all adds crowd to the feel. ALL(H)OURS still continues to be one of my top 3 rising acts debuted last year and I hope they continues with Smoke Point. 8.75/10.
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same thoughts forthe most part,but I really enjoyed the production during the Dance Break.
8/10(7;9;8;8)
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for the*
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its fine. A bit disappointing from shock though.
8/10 (8, 8, 8, 8) for me
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I’m relieved to find out this is just a prerelease…everything about this song, including the MV, just seems too plain when compared to Shock, which grew to be one of my favorite songs last year. I think the production makes it slightly more interesting than it would have been from a different group and at least there’s no chanty chorus. Still holding out hope for Shock 2.0 (with Even More Shock).
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The song’s okay, but I’ll be waiting for the title track.
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