I haven’t written about a new Secret Number track in almost two years. The group has never quite been able to crawl out of nugudom, but that’s not due to a lack of talent. Secret Number became known for their vocals early on and have been at their best when given material that spotlights that skill. However, this new iteration of the group has almost all-new members, making a re-debut almost necessary. Instead, they’ve hung onto a name and branding that had little cachet to begin with.
New single Don’t Touch recalls a few past glories, but it’s missing the special sauce that would make it stand out. In K-pop, that “special sauce” often comes in the form of a robust budget, allowed a group’s material to be polished to a fine sheen. Without the funds necessary to pull major songwriters, Don’t Touch comes across as a nice demo. I appreciate its big dancefloor sound, even if all the samples used are very generic. The song also includes actual singing (a small miracle in today’s climate), though its melodies are clipped and unremarkable.
Given the unique nature of this comeback and the need to reintroduce a new iteration of Secret Number, Don’t Touch just doesn’t meet the moment. The song is perfectly fine but wholly unnecessary and easily gets lost in a sea of more idiosyncratic tracks. I wish this group well, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
