Absent a full-group comeback, the girls of ARTMS have been blitzing the market with digital singles. Next on the docket is Heejin, who’s shifted into a new genre with sAvioR. The last time I wrote about her on the blog she was dabbling in new jack swing, but sAvioR takes a hard turn toward grungy rock.

This is coupled by an equally unpolished music video, the kind I might not even write about on a busier K-pop day. However, I’m always interested in hearing something new from idols. There’s a grit and purposeful imperfection to this song that will instantly catch your attention. Heejin’s vocals are heavily filtered all the way through, giving them a sense of distortion that matches the production’s heavy guitar. The song drips with texture — even if it’s the same exact texture throughout.

Here’s where sAvioR gets itself in trouble. Structurally, it plays as a straight line, rarely swerving into musical peaks or moments of silence. This sense of sameness mutes the song’s melodies, which could actually be quite effusive if given another arrangement. This is no doubt an intentional choice and adds to sAvioR‘s recreation of its intended genre, but it makes the song less effective for me.

Grade: C