After releasing one of the year’s most promising debuts, poor UNCHILD have been put through the ringer. Their first comeback TiNG TiNG was initially teased for early September, yet days before its release the project was indefinitely postponed. I’ve seen enough K-pop agencies and acts fold over the years to fear that we might never hear from UNCHILD again, but luckily they’ve managed to reschedule the track two months later.

It would have been a bummer to lose TiNG TiNG, as the song continues the cool electro sound of their debut. It’s nice to hear an act play around with different electronic sounds rather than simply retread the simple club beats of their peers. I love TiNG TiNG‘s glitchy sound. There’s a fullness to the instrumental that’s very satisfying and even a bit funky. In just two releases, UNCHILD have already distinguised their own sound, which is one of the reasons they’ve been a standout rookie this year.

While the production is super fun, I’m not as sold on the song itself. The chirpy chorus works very well as part of this electronic backdrop, but the verses are more scattershot. There’s also not much distinction in energy between the two, which threatens to make the track feel more monotonous than it should. However, the sheer drive of the song’s momentum wins the day, smoothing over moments of criticism with its incessantly upbeat pizzazz.

Grade: B