Over the years, I’ve been impressed with Just B’s willingness to experiment with their sound. To me, it seems that they’ve refashioned their underdog status into an advantage and excuse to try new things. Last year’s pop/punk anthem Daddy’s Girl was a career high, and now they’ve switched things up again with the electro hyperpop of Chest.
I’m more intrigued by this song than in love with it, which is often the case when the term “hyperpop” gets thrown around. It’s refreshing to hear new synth tones in K-pop, and the crisp arpeggio that opens the track is incredibly effective. On first listen, I was hoping Chest would capitalize on this momentum and build toward an exciting peak. Instead, the track unveils itself in fits and starts, never fully surrendering to the electronic rush at its core. As a listener, this is a disappointing, but I understand why the producers may have opted for something idiosyncratic rather than a more cliched EDM arrangement.
Still, you know me. I love my pop songs to unfold like a story, building toward a climax that harnesses every element to its fullest. Otherwise, the music simply feels incomplete. And at under three minutes, Chest could have added extra time to flesh out its ideas. Still, I’m intrigued how this sound might influence the group’s work going forward. I’d certainly love to hear more of these tones and textures.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
God, the production was BEGGING for better hooks, I still can’t figure out what the chorus is. Also, the song’s too short and fails to develop into a proper climax. *sighs* K-Pop producers, PLEASE give your song some extra time to develop into a bombastic finale which is worth it and K-Pop songwriters, please find a compelling hook if you’re gonna work on a song with a stellar production. Just imagine if the song had that sweet, sweet extra 30 seconds or 1 minute and a compelling, soaring hook, we could have a R.Y.U.S.E.I-esque banger in our hands, which would be the best thing since sliced bread given the current K-Pop scene. Smh, what wasted potential.
7.75 (7, 9, 8, 7) for me.
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I think the chorus is more like a “refrain”, and they open with it. I think.
0:08 first half of the “chorus”
0:23 the better half of the “chorus”
0:36 verse
0:48 the section we call “pre-chorus” these days
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It is one heck of an idea+half that sounds like it needs another idea+half to be more fully realized. Think SHINee Clue PLUS Note. Clue by itself, eh. Note by itself, eh. Clue + Note = awesome, one for the ages.
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Just Brat
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Could use more development but I’m into it btw
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Synth in Kpop. I will never get tired of this. I am, however, exceedingly tired of vocals being drowned in effects. Is this still called autotune? Whatever it is, I don’t like at all, how I’m struggling to find parts, where I can hear just their voices. Usually, it’s kept at least a bit more contained, but here it’s all over. These guys have nice voices – Bain, for one, is right there!
On the positive side, I commend this group for continuously managing to surprise me with their shifts in sound and style, even if I’m not on board for all of it. ÷ (NANUGI) was overall really good, and I’m that person, who enjoyed and still enjoys listening to Damage.
For this song I like all the synthy goodness, I like whatever that muffled beat is at 1.22. I like how all the melodic synths in the background during the chorus(?) at around 1.58 made me think of VNV Nation.
We all saw (and some discovered) what Bain is capable of on Build Up. Use it! Just give me one JUST B song, where Bain and that kind of energy is fully unleashed. I think I’ll be listening to this song more than I expect, but I so wanted it to build and lift off more.
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I enjoyed this a lot! It’s basically a pre-brat (post-Sucker) Charli XCX song, which is generally my favourite sound of hers.
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