I know I don’t speak for all K-pop fans, but I am tired — so tired of being yelled at by overly aggressive boy groups shouting alongside cacophonous instrumentals. Previously, ALL(H)OURS found a nice middle ground between noise and sleek structure, delivering the standout singles Shock and Gimme Gimme. But with new track Ready 2 Rumble, it feels like we’re back at ground zero.
Look, I’m not against noise. In fact, I wish most K-pop songs in this generation were bigger and bolder and louder. But too often, songwriters sacrifice the vital building blocks of a great track for pure bluster — as if that bluster alone is compelling enough to compensate. Ready 2 Rumble‘s verses are solid (especially the more melodic second verse). They’re derivative and fail to deliver any memorable turns, but at least they move the song forward.
From here, we crash into pots-and-pans territory. The hulking instrumental feels like a headache waiting to happen, as if the producers searched their sample library for the most abrasive, annoying loops they could be fine. This would be salvageable with a killer hook thrown over the top, but instead we have the guys repeating “we’re ready to ruuuuuuummmmmmble” over and over in a monotonous vocal fry. Okay, K-pop composers. I guess we just don’t write choruses anymore? How’s that working out for you? Because it’s a pretty sorry state of affairs from a listeners’ perspective.
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 6.75 |
