Dragon Pony made a stellar debut back in 2024, right as the new wave of K-idol bands were beginning to roll out. Two years later, there’s a ton of competition in this space running the gamut of sounds and styles. For me, the two factors that have always helped Dragon Pony stand out are their songwriting and frontman An Taegyu’s vocals. Both remain solid on new single Calling Back.

This song won’t be winning any awards for originality. It sounds quite similar to their past material and to much of their peers’ more sentimental efforts. But while Calling Back may lack surprises, it knows exactly what it needs to deliver and goes for the jugular. This is the classic “build to an ultra-cathartic chorus (and guitar solo!)” structure, vacillating between soft, sentimental verses and a sing-it-from-the-rafters hook. I’d prefer this hook to be more melodically stirring, but it’s arranged with enough bombast to counter any shortcomings in this regard. I also appreciate how Calling Back unfolds, moving into a series of less-predictable climaxes during the song’s second half.

Grade: B-