Kwon Eunbi remains a bright spot in Woollim Entertainment's dwindling roster, capturing attention with her upbeat sound and overall star power. It isn't easy to launch a soloist in the idol industry, but she's managed to develop a consistent discography highlighted by club bangers like last year's The Flash. New single Sabotage delivers her biggest blast of energy yet.
I want to unconditionally love this this song. After all, I'm always complaining about modern K-pop's lack of thumping energy. I appreciate the pounding beat that opens Sabotage and sticks around for most of the song. It gives the production instant power that grows even more robust as we dive into the chorus. The melodies also hit hard, supplying natural climaxes that keep the track exciting. The production feels indebted to the EDM bombast of the early 2010's, an era I have great fondness for.
However, Sabotage keeps me at an arm's length. Part of this is due to its second verse, which collapses into a needless energy shift that sacrifices momentum and, for lack of a better word, sabotages what the song is trying to do. But more than this, the vocals keep me from fully embracing the chorus. They feel sharp and too high for Eunbi's comfortable range. Perhaps some layering or harmony could have softened this sound and deepened the texture of the mix. As is, Sabotage is a frustrating listen. It's so close to being great but a few production choices squander is potential.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-
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