As hyperpop has gained a foothold in the K-pop industry, we’ve seen it appear most often on the fringes of the mainstream. Yves was once part of this mainstream back in her LOONA days, but she’s developed a more independent streak since going solo. She has a new EP scheduled for next month, but has dropped a pair of digital singles this week.

Hysteric arrives with a full music video, offering moody visuals to compliment the track’s stark sound. This time around, the sound is less hyperpop than it is mainstream club music, hinging on a percolating electronic groove that creates a constant sense of catwalk-ready propulsion. As someone who prefers a more resounding texture to the tinny electronics that can often plague modern K-pop, I appreciate the focus on the lower end here. The stage is set for an equally beguiling song.

Here’s where Yves’s music flummoxes me yet again. The songs often seem to have great ideas and brilliant backdrops, but not much songwriting heft to drive them forward. With Hysteric, it feels like Yves is simply repeating a (not-so-awesome) melodic line over and over with little-to-no variation. This makes for a hypnotic, but ultimately deflating, product. At just two and a half minutes, there’s not time to get tired of the repetition, but this also prevents Hysteric for taking you on a satisfying journey. I’ve said this so much over the past few years that it’s become its own cliché, but I’ll keep repeating it until it’s no longer true: this is more of a vibe than a song.

Grade: C