When talking about girl group vocals I love, Woollim Entertainment’s Lovelyz often comes up. The group is home to some of my favorite vocal tones in K-pop, and Ryu Sujeong is certainly one of them. Since Lovelyz went on hiatus she’s developed an indie-pop solo career, most of which I haven’t written about here. However, the retro jolt of new single New Car deserves attention.
Sometimes you just know you’ll like a song from its very first notes. As percussion fades in, New Car kicks off with pitch-perfect 80’s synth, offering an exciting riff that gets the song off on a sprightly pace. Sujeong’s gorgeous vocals wrap around this beat with plenty of character. Her characteristically breathy tone makes for a great contrast against the brightness of the instrumental.
Best of all, New Car feels like a fully fleshed out song. It doesn’t hit any huge peaks, but makes time for a bridge that lends an extra shot of drama to the finale. New Car is never rushed or truncated, and that sense of fullness is disarmingly old-school in the best way. I’d love to hear her pursue this sound further.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
