In a year already stuffed with competitive boy group debuts, it’s time for another new act. idntt (pronounced “Identity”) is the brainchild of Jaden Jeong, the man behind LOONA, tripleS and ARTMS. The group follows the same interactive system as tripleS, with twenty-four members split into sub-units based on fan input. The agency is also letting fans decide which of idntt’s three debut title tracks becomes the “super title track,” meaning all three music videos have dropped today. I’ll give each a separate post, which might as well be considered my “vote” for the victor.
Like You Never Met, BOYtude is an EL CAPITXN co-write. This guy is on a roll this year! From the initial teasers, it was hard to discern much about this track and now that I’ve heard the full thing I understand why because there’s not a whole lot going on here. BOYtude is a groovy mid-tempo hip-hop/R&B song — the kind we often hear as a b-side on a boy group album. While it gives the guys room to showcase their vocals, the song itself doesn’t do much for me.
Truthfully, this is how I’ve often felt about Jaden Jeong projects. The music is always fashionable but rarely pulls me in on a personal level. This is why I was never able to get into LOONA the way so many others were. This song is stuffed with familiar (ie: copied) hip-hop phrasing and centered by a mumble-chant chorus that does little to inspire excitement. Its best moments come during the melodic pre-choruses, but even these fail to deliver memorable hooks. I appreciate the 90s synth running through the chorus, but that’s not enough to make this a highlight.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
