1. We Up // 2. Call My Name // 3. Heavy

WE UP

Initially, I wasn’t too optimistic about the b-sides on TWS’s new single. For one, the highlight medley undersold the sound of the songs, choosing clips that weren’t all that representative. Then, the song descriptions themselves were a list of some of the most overused sub-genres in K-pop over the past few years: Miami bass, drum and bass, “soft” pop. But you know what? There’s nothing inherently bad about these genres if they’re executed well and are less diluted than modern K-pop tends to make them.

Take We Up, for example. On first listen, I was like: “That’s right! This is what Miami bass is meant to sound like.” The moment the gurgling electro bass comes in midway through verse one, I was sold. The song grooves in an almost forceful way, offering the perfect space for a dynamic mix of rap and vocals. With every TWS project, it feels like we’re hearing new colors to their voices and I’m really compelled by the members’ delivery during the verses. Dohoon, especially, proves to be just as charismatic a rapper as he is a vocalist.

We Up‘s chant-heavy chorus is its weakest moment, but the hook brings the right amount of energy and never devolves into the shrill textures that K-pop’s boy group chants often succumb to. In both length and ambition, We Up is on the slighter side of TWS’s discography, but it’s a very fun and addictively energetic start that I predict will grow even more enjoyable with time.

Grade: B