SHINee released one of the best albums (and songs!) of the year back in June and seemed to snatch all of K-pop’s momentum going into an underwhelming summer of releases. Now, Minho is back with his own track and album, playing to his strengths on the catchy Make It Hot.

As teasers for this song began to roll out, all I could hear was JYP’s Wet and Kiss Of Life’s Sweat — two August songs that each anchored themselves around a single word. “Wet, wet, wet.” “Sweat, sweat, sweat.” “Hot, hot, hot.” Shakespeare, this is is not. And while Make It Hot‘s chorus is indeed repetitive and somewhat dull, the song benefits from a stronger instrumental and arrangement than those other tracks. Minho croons his way through the sultry verses, but the production really comes alive during the chorus.

I love the addition of synth here, which lends Hot additional texture that helps set it apart. Rather than a dull throb, the hook chugs forward with momentum. It’s genuinely groovy, which is essential for a song of this nature. I’m not sure if it boasts enough ideas to keep it interesting in the long run, but for today I’m pretty entertained.

Grade: B