To me, EVNNE has always felt like a group with an identity crisis. They’ve tried on many boy group styles over the past few years. Some have been more successful than others, but few have pointed toward any sort of signature sound for the guys. After hearing this spring’s Backtalk, I was eager for them to move away from the “rage” genre, but new single Look At Ma doubles down on that genre’s worst instincts.
Here, we have a strange hybrid between trap and alt-rock anthem. Look At Ma is driven by tired, repetitive phrasing and a downright ugly hook that twists melody into a bellowing shout. The instrumental overpowers throughout, but not in a fun, bombastic way. Instead, each element is more unpleasant than the last, lumbering forward like a bull in a china shop. A song like this is meant to pump you up, but all I hear is dreary repetition. It feels weirdly confrontational and angry with all its “look at me! look at me!” posturing, and although the performance is free from overly obvious vocal warping it comes across as gnats buzzing in your ear as you try to swat them away. It’s a very unpleasant two-and-a-half minutes.
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 6 |
| Longevity | 6 |
| Bias | 6 |
| RATING | 6 |
Grade: D-
Scratching my ass was a better stimuli than listening to this.
Rating’s the same.
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A six is crazy?!? It wasn’t that bad but this is a weirdly atmospheric song that actually carried a ton of potential, but it was kept oddly simple throughout (yep, I used “weirdly” and “oddly” in the same sentence!). Overall, it feels like your average Cortis-esque track. I’m honestly not entirely sure why EVNNE doesn’t draw me in quite as much as ZEROBASEONE does. Oh well! Deep down I know someone enjoys this and that’s GRRRRRRREATTTT 🐯😁
7.5(7,8,7,8)
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i wonder if u enjoyed their bside stay from earlier this year
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this is what happens when you lose your strongest vocalists
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Nah bc why are you spot on ☠️☠️
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I think the biggest issue with this song is that it’s boring. Between them and ZB1 I always thought they had the stronger rappers with Keita and Jihoo, so that when the vocalists left they’d make a pivot, but this kind of music just isn’t it. That’s too bad because I feel like they started out with one of the stronger discographies among the Boys Planet-adjacent groups.
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If IVE was KC then EVNNE would be C9.
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I live in a cave so I don’t follow the
(comings and)goings of the current gen. But what I did notice straight up is, yes, there they are again, the rap triplets. onetwothree fourfivesix SEVN. Opens the verses. Pops up again in the chorus. *sigh* PEOPLE THERE ARE BETTER FLOWS YOU CAN DO!LikeLiked by 1 person
ok so i listened to the mini n this song is far n away the weakest on it 😭 tracks 3 n 4 r incredible
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My thoughts as well. The rest of the album is really fun!
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