Not only is it a busy day for K-pop comebacks, but we’ve got a few Japanese releases as well. xikers have already made their Japanese debut and are back with the poppy rush of second single Up All Night. This group’s sound has been all over the place, but I tend to enjoy their songs most when they’re anchored by big choruses.
Up All Night fits this bill even if it doesn’t sound much like xikers at all. This isn’t automatically a bad thing, as acts often target international work toward individual markets they’re promoting in. Rather than a specific market, Up All Night feels targeted to a season. It’s got a bright, synth-sprinkled summer sound that reminds me of many of my favorite boy group efforts.
If I begrudge Up All Night one thing, it’s the structure of its chorus. I’m so sick of the “anti-drop followed by big melodic flourish” approach. It’s become so predictable that it’s lost all its charm and simply feels ripped out of a guidebook on how to write a K-pop song. Fortunately, this centerpiece is surrounded by genuinely thrilling verses that see the energy amp up with plenty of gorgeous synth adding texture to the upbeat rhythm. I’d love to hear xikers explore this sound even further.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Damn, xikers and synthpop is a strange combo since the guys have this rambunctious vibes that is more suited towards rock and hip-hop, but it’s still a sweet improvement from Breathe, or for a better comparison, Tsuki. I’m just unsure of how it’ll age for me, but I still love it and I’d love to see the guys tackle bright sounds like this or any of the tracks from their How To Play album except Koong in the future.
Rating’s the same.
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Damn this is hands down xikers’ best track since 2023’s “Do Or Die” in my humble opinion. KQ has been on a roll this year eh?
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Okay I forgot “Breathe” was a thing…
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I had to wonder with the first line – wait, what is the xikers’ sound? I must admit that this current gen kinda mostly blends into one. Then I looked up the only song I downloaded from them, something called “Rockstar” from 2023, or more properly “ROCKSTAR”, and it isn’t that different from today’s sound.
I like the sotto voce parts – the first few lines of the verses, parts of the chorus. The first part of the chorus remind me a bit of “You calling my name” by Got7 back when. The rest of the song meets expectations. It keeps up the momentum most of the time which is nice to hear.
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