Over the past few months, I've had a horserace in my mind regarding which Bias List favorite would return with new music first: Golden Child or Kis-My-Ft2. It turns out Golcha emerged victorious, though Kisumai arrives right on their tail. But while Golcha's recent efforts have been infrequent but excellent, Kis-My-Ft2's recent material has been far spottier. And now that they've lost member Kitayama, the future feels even more uncertain.
May's Sweet Melody was an undeniable highlight, though it remains unreleased beyond its YouTube music video. New single Heartbreaker pulls back, even as it embraces a similarly funky route. There's nothing wrong with the song, but I've definitely reached my limit of these slinky, bass-driven tracks. It's also not the sound I'd hope for from Kis-My-Ft2. They've always been at their best when embracing a larger-than-life sense of melodic and production bombast. In contrast, this feels quite reserved and generic. As slick as it is, there's not a lot of room for personality to poke out.
Heartbreaker is a hesitant return -- stylish and trendy but not particularly memorable. Hopefully, it portends stronger things to come. It finally feels like the group is in a place to start regularly releasing music again. I'm looking forward to being completely bowled over by a Kisumai track again. It's been too long!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
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