Mamamoo and its sub-units never met an onomatopoeia they didn’t love. Their music has increasingly become characterized by cartoonish hooks placed over funky backbeats. Hints of their retro, jazzy debut-era sound still creep up in the vocal delivery, but their work has become mired in a sense of novelty that belies their obvious talent. My … Continue reading →

Sub-unit Mamamoo+ are making a relatively quick comeback after releasing their single album this March. Like last time, they’ve kicked things off with a pre-release. Save Me (지구에 혼자 남게 된다면) lowers the tempo for a vocal showcase in keeping with Mamamoo’s strengths. As beautifully as this may be performed, Save Me feels like musical … Continue reading →

Mamamoo+’s pre-release Chico Malo felt like a lateral move for the girls – a song that sits squarely within the group’s recent repertoire. In contrast, title track GGBB brings us back to early-Mamamoo, when the girls vamped over old-school sounds with an almost vaudevillian flair. But while this nostalgia is appreciated, I wish the song … Continue reading →

To me, sub-unit projects are the perfect opportunity to make a big swerve and tackle a sound we can’t get in the main group. I feel like Chico Malo (나쁜놈) could’ve easily been a Mamamoo track, which is fine except I haven’t enjoyed most recent Mamamoo tracks. Melding traditional Korean elements with trap beats is … Continue reading →

It’s been about a year since Mamamoo returned as a full group, but the ladies have been keeping busy with solo projects. Now, they’ve debuted their first sub-unit. Mamamoo+ brings together Solar and Moonbyul. This release comes as a bit of a surprise, announced only days ago. Better is an inauspicious debut, opting for laid-back … Continue reading →