A K-pop act's title track isn't always the best song on their album, even if it's the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
I was probably a little hard on DRIPPIN's Beautiful Maze. It's not a bad song... it's just wholly unremarkable. But over the past few days, its chorus has proven memorable and the guys deliver it well. This being Woollim Entertainment, the group's new album hosts a b-side that far eclipses the title track. Black Mirror fashions the guys as commanding funk warriors and would have been an excellent choice for promotion.
No matter the genre, I love when music has a natural push and pull -- some tension driving its structure. Comparing Black Mirror to Beautiful Maze highlights this contrast. While Maze lopes along with a steady hand, Mirror unfolds as a sparring match -- a series of ducks and punches. Its melodies are actually weaker, but delivered with such panache that you hardly notice. The brassy percussion feels tense and alive, and that energy transfers to the vocal performance. You can hear the guys having fun with track, attacking every line with a go-for-broke intensity that makes the song really pop.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
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