Girl group RESCENE enjoyed a bit of momentum with last year’s single Love Attack, but their agency has been unable to capitalize on this so far. Title track Glow Up came and went with little fanfare earlier this year, and the buzz around new single Deja Vu also seems to be muted. The public clearly hungers for Love Attack‘s big pop chorus, so I’m not sure why The Muze Entertainment isn’t trying to replicate that.
Instead, Deja Vu takes a very familiar tone. It’s the latest in an endless line of skittery, muted girl group K-pop. Let me repeat this with full voice so every fledging K-pop agency can hear me: YOU WILL NOT BECOME POPULAR BY SIMPLY COPYING OTHER SUCCESSFUL ACTS. A group like RESCENE needs to stand out, and Love Attack‘s propulsive chorus did just that. Deja Vu seeks to do the exact opposite. Its subdued sound seems targeted to fade into the background. The instrumental is already painfully familiar, and without any notable hooks over the top the track simply evaporates.
To be fair, it’s difficult for me to be objective about a song the moment I hear those murky faded-watercolor synth tones that open Deja Vu. I’ve moved past being sick of this sound to having a visceral reaction to it, and it takes a really special set of melodies to win me back. Deja Vu‘s hooks are absolutely fine, but their stuttering nature never leads to any real sense of payoff. It’s style without substance, and RESCENE have already proven they can deliver both at once.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
