After twenty-two years in the industry, TVXQ’s U-Know has finally unveiled his first full-length solo album. This project was preceded by Body Language, a track I found disappointing in almost every regard. Thankfully, title track Stretch feels much more aligned with U-Know’s incredible legacy.

It’ll never not be weird to hear a TVXQ release minus producer Yoo Youngjin, but Stretch‘s prickly production delivers flashes of the dramatic weirdness I associate with the group. It’s the latest in a long line of K-pop tracks that are mostly “talking over a club beat,” but the song’s production adds a bit more heft than most. It’s unflagging in its momentum, keeping the energy high with a gritty instrumental that sounds dark and underground. This gives U-Know plenty to work with. It’s a shame that the songwriting doesn’t carry the same level of ambition.

As with most tracks of this nature, Stretch‘s hooks are largely monotone. When an artist is simply speaking their chorus, rhythm and cadence matter more than ever. Without melody, phrasing becomes incredibly important. In this regard, Stretch fails to captivate. The chorus desperately needs a melodic foil — something to break us free from the monotony of its groove. Diversity of sound keeps music compelling, but despite all the bells and whistles of Stretch‘s production, the track is essentially one idea repeated over and over.

Grade: B-