A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

Every boy group worth their salt needs a track called Firework, and just as that title implies these songs usually offer a celebratory rush of excitement. ZEROBASEONE’s Firework arrives on their newest Japanese EP. Their J-pop work tends to lean heavily into the sound of that market, but Firework is produced by a cadre of Korean talents and feels much more like classic K-pop.

The song’s opening chants don’t exactly inspire confidence, but the exciting guitar riffs and anthemic melodies that follow get us on the right track. From here, Firework bounds with indefatigable energy. It’s nudged along by a robust instrumental that adds strings and rugged electronic bass to the mix that give the track a sense of fullness. We’ve heard countless productions like this in K-pop, but few throw as many different elements at the wall as Firework does. This bombast buoys a solid — but unremarkable — series of melodies. And at over three and a half minutes, the song is allowed to build toward a true climax. I’d love to hear a sound like this for the group’s upcoming Korean comeback.

Grade: B+