AtHeart debuted last summer with Plot Twist, whose title of course reminds me of another iconic K-pop song of recent years. Unfortunately, their sound was less iconic, echoing many current girl group trends. It’s been a too-long hiatus between releases for such a new act, so I was eager to see if this break resulted in any sort of sonic reinvention.

Shut Up meets fifth gen expectations, for better or worse. It fits squarely within the “subdued” branding of many modern girl groups, using familiar sing-talk phrasing during its verses and blooming into a relatively uneventful chorus. The hook is an earworm, but I can’t help but think it would be way more effective if set against a less languid backdrop. It feels as if Shut Up wants to be quirky and upbeat. Instead, it simply plods along before ending prematurely. There’s no build or payoff — just two minutes of pleasantness that will be forgotten minutes after it ends.

Grade: C-