Hyperpop has become a driving force in electronic music, and whenever a trend takes hold you know that K-pop is lurking right around the corner, ready to pounce on it. Yves has gone full bore into the genre with her new album, crafting the kind of quirky soundscapes the internet seems to love even as they often leave me cold. Title track Soap is another song that leaves me scratching my head and wondering what the big deal is.
Opening with a sample from Rebecca Black’s Sugar Water Cyanide (off her incredible 2025 EP), Soap is eager to prove its bonafides. Yves has even invited the very popular trendsetter PinkPantheress as duet partner. In short, this collaboration is a terminally-online pop fan’s dream. As an actual song, Soap works a lot less for me. Strip away some of its more interesting sonic touchstones and it’s doing what so many girl group songs have done this year. The percussion gives a familiar early-2000s bounce, the airy vocals serve icy cool rather than emotional resonance and the melodies are slight and repetitive. The song feels like one idea repeated over and over until we reach the two-and-a-half minute mark and the music simply… ends.
Fans of Soap will likely point to its texture, but to me this feels more like style over substance. And really, I don’t think the textures are all that interesting. Maybe if Brat had never happened and this sound wasn’t already so saturated, Soap would feel more thrilling. As it stands, it’s another track to add into my “nice to admire, hard to love” bin.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Another one that the kids can have. I pass. I also don’t see what the big deal is, its just another pop song that sounds like this, no appreciably discernable melody, pulling on the same sonic source material. It’s fine and competent but not compelling.
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I prefer White Cat over this.
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This may be due to its melody. I listened to the song in the morning, and a few hours later I completely forgot how it went.
I’m not saying the chorus’ melody is the be-all-and-end-all, but something for my (smooth) brain to stick to would help the song be a little more memorable.
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I also prefer white cat :))
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when will yall realize that yves uses inspo from hyperpop and her recent music is leagues better than many recent solo acts
like shut up yall know nothin bout genre
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Simply playing within a certain genre doesn’t make a song better than any other. I’m very familiar with hyperpop and I don’t think this is a particularly memorable entry into the genre. Sorry. I’m glad you like it, though.
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do u like SOPHIE she’s my fave
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thanks 4 the input by thee way
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very wise
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Please don’t be mean. This is supposed to be a safe space from all the nasty people on social media like Twitter. Why don’t you say how you felt about the song instead of attacking other people?
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Okay.
The song itself is great, definitely introducing something new into the formulaic K-pop that has become common over the years that fans still seem to slobber over.
Its chill, with great production, great lyrics, and a great production by Yves’s team, and the sample was excellent.
Also, I have a music degree. So I can say whatever the heck I want about music because art is subjective and I’m allowed an opinion.
I understand you want a safe space but I promise the toxicity of K-pop fandom won’t give you that.
With luv,
Chandelirious
(Yes, I can write formally as well <3)
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also I’m so sick of kpop fans getting so effin defensive when kpop is criticized
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like, its nothing against you bro
move on
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This blog is all about criticism. No one’s offended by that. But to critique something, you don’t need to use overblown, rude language like “like shut up yall know nothin bout genre.” No one’s going to take you seriously if you respond like that.
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Congratulations on your effected willingness to fall for ragebait!
Have a nice day!
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… okay?
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That’s it, I’m done being nice! Fuck off and never come back here again!
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I’m a big Orbit (still), and Yves has been my favorite K-pop idol for many years now. I wish it wasn’t true, but I haven’t really connected with any of her solo stuff. I respect her desire to follow her own path—even if it’s taking away from K-pop—but her solo music is too chilly and experimental for me. Experimental might not be the right word. Unconventional? Un-poppy? More visionary than musical? I would much rather see strong melodies and vocals that feel less “manufactured.” Oh well. Go, Yves!
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How we feeling about Yves Ex Machina?
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white cat gave me so much potential and I was looking forward for this track. It just feel like a bunch of nothing… I like my songs with a punch
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so disappointing from 2 artists I really like. The EP is bad and White Cat was so misleading. Still love that song but was hoping for a banger EP.
but thank you for the Rebecca Black shout out, her EP is just EDM perfection although what was the point of sampling the least interesting part of her song?
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can we put the hyper back in hyperpop? love these two, but this is boring
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