Super Junior's Eunhyuk and One Pact's Jongwoo have gotten into the idol group business with the production of multi-national boy group Celest1a, formed through the series K-pop House. From what I can tell, much of their promo thus far has been in Japan, but debut single Panda sees them performing mostly in English.
As far as debuts go, Panda is a mix of promise and frustration. It leans more toward the former, especially when the instrumental swells with dramatic synth and the members give a full-throated, theatrical performance. The song has a sense of bigness that instantly demands attention. The vocal-driven post-chorus is especially impressive, hinting at even better things to come from these rookies.
With this said, Panda is complicated by its use of... well... "panda." Maybe fans can help me understand the significance of this word to the group, but for someone coming into the track without expectations, "panda" makes for an awkward repetition during the chorus. Its inherent silliness contrasts with the stately segments surrounding it, making for a weird transition. Even so, Panda's strengths so outweigh its weaknesses that I may be able to overlook (or even embrace?) its quirks.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
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