The members of Astro have churned out solo material pretty regularly despite the group being inactive. Rocky’s work has been a mixed bag so far and I often find myself appreciating b-sides more than the title tracks. Judging by the highlight medley of his newest album, I predict this disparity will continue.

Fake It opts for a slow burn, sinuous Taemin-esque groove. It’s an approach many male K-pop soloists have tried before but it often comes across as a copy. Rocky has the talent to back up the sound, but beyond the aural moodiness I find Fake It frustrating as a song. Like many entries within this soundscape, it’s more of a vibe than a structural success. There are many moments where the vocals stretch into lengthy notes as if trying to wrap around a song that just isn’t there.

When Fake It‘s beat does drop, it’s in service to a dull hook composed of truncated phrasing and performed with a somewhat detached sing-talk style. It’s all meant to be beguiling and mysterious, but to me it simply sounds non-committal and a bit pretentious. Rocky works much better as a classic showman and this song doesn’t give him enough to do in that regard. On the plus side, the climactic synths that close the track are genuinely thrilling.

Grade: C