Since their Japanese debut in 2020, Stray Children have amassed a reasonably giant J-pop discography. JYP Leisure has at all times been good at protecting a number of markets fed, and Stray Children’ self-producing standing ensures a sure stage of continuity between their multi-language catalogs. New single Hole hails from their upcoming third Japanese mini album and sees them taking up a extra melodic method.
It’s powerful with Stray Children as a result of I usually discover myself wishing they’d lean extra into melody and dispatch with the (usually gimmicky) shout-chanting that characterizes a lot of their tracks. But, once they do go for one thing softer like Hole, the melodies hardly ever hit with me. Hole has a considerably colorless palette, fusing gritty synth to a mid-tempo beat that feels plodding regardless of moments of liftoff. Every ingredient, from the instrumental to the vocals, is smothered by this hazy mattress of filters that drains character from the monitor. This makes it onerous for any particular person piece to interrupt by and totally seize consideration.
Manufacturing apart, Hole is kind of workmanlike in its method. All the things about it’s relentlessly wonderful, from the requisite rap verse to the biking construction of the refrain. Nonetheless, all of it feels flat to me. It’s like a placeholder single — one thing the group was contractually obligated to ship with no actual ardour or aptitude behind it.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Manufacturing | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
Grade: C-
