Taeyang’s new album is a mixed bag of styles, with few of them fully-realized in the way his best work has been. The strongest material hearkens back to eras past while infusing its sound with more modern touches. Such is the case with Would You, which feels like a long lost 2000s Taeyang track while featuring new blood in the form of ALLDAY PROJECT’s Tarzzan and Woochan.

This song did not hit me on first listen, and I blame that on my aversion to tinny trap percussion. My eyes glaze over when I hear a trap beat, and I do wish Would You found something more interesting to do with its instrumental. However, the song’s open-hearted melodies are like nostalgic catnip for listeners who remember the 2000s pop scene quite fondly. They’re so familiar that I swear they’re simply a copy of some old Akon song, but I can’t put my finger on exactly where I’ve heard them before.

Would You has one melodic idea it repeats over and over again, making the inclusion of Tarzzan and Woochan necessary to break up the monotony. They don’t add a ton of flair to the track, but it’s nice to hear a variety of textures. As a listener, I’m torn between unabashedly loving this and feeling the strain obvious nostalgia targeting my ears. It’s cynical in execution, but when it comes down to it I’ll always embrace a great pop melody and Would You knows what it’s doing in that regard.

Grade: B-