A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
ZEROBASEONE’s last two mini albums were so strong that they turned me from a casual admirer of their music to a full-blown fan… just in time for a likely disbandment/reconfiguration. I can’t say I’m as smitten with their new album, which feels like a string of lesser material (including both promoted tracks). However, there is one easy standout in the form of Star Eyes.
I’m always drawn toward more upbeat material, and especially songs that throw everything at the wall and unabashedly charge forward with pop pizzazz. Star Eyes‘ big EDM sound feels like a survival show signal song, but that’s its only downside. I’m completely won over by its use of strings to create an ornate sound that manages to transform an energy-shifting second verse into a real highlight. In a year where it seems that everyone is muting their ambition, it’s refreshing to hear a song simply sprint forward full speed.
Star Eyes is also a whopping four minutes long. Nearly every 3:30+ K-pop track this year has been a highlight. That says something important. As a listener, I vastly prefer songs that develop into something. You simply can’t forge a sense of scale and scope within a two minute time frame, and this fully-developed experience is vital to a song like Star Eyes.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
