ITZY's new album won't be with us until next week, but they've already given us two pre-release tracks and short versions of the members' solo songs. I love seeing album rollouts this insistent! Mr. Vampire emerges as the second pre-release, following the more combative Born To Be last month.
Given its title, I half-expected a lore-filled track with spooky undertones. Instead, Mr. Vampire is quite reserved, bopping over a harpsichord-filled R&B beat before plunging into a percussive breakdown during its chorus. The track is largely sing-talk, meaning none of the melodies captured me on the first few listens. But even without much melodic range, the vocals often feel strained. It's simply a case of miss-matched material. I don't think ITZY ever really thrive in this sonic setting.
Mr. Vampire goes from dull to irritating during its chorus. It's as if K-pop producers are fighting each other to see who can pick the most annoying sound effects to build their anti-drop around. The squeaky sample that highlights much of Mr. Vampire is quite unpleasant, neutralizing the nice piano accent that marks the transition back into the verses. If songs like this are going to center themselves around a groove, they had better find a killer, chest-thumping groove to work with. Otherwise, the track leaves little impact.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
Grade: C-
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