[Review] GFriend’s “Time For The Moon Night” lacks signature punch, but has them on right track

So far, 2018 has the unfortunate distinction of being the year where almost all of my favorite acts return with underwhelming title tracks. This trend has made it difficult to keep excitement up over the past couple of months. So many groups are abandoning the producers who crafted their winning sound in favor of ones that, quite frankly, just aren’t as skilled. GFriend are the latest to succumb to this issue, as “Time For The Moon Night” is their first single without composers Iggy and Seo Youngbae, and their gift for a mammoth hook is missed.

To be fair, “Time For The Moon Night” isn’t a bad song at all. In many ways, it feels like a return to form after last summer’s divisive “Love Whisper“ and “Summer Rain“. The track pulls in those lush orchestral elements we’ve been missing since 2016’s superior “Rough“, drenching the instrumental in layers of strings. I just wish that much of the song didn’t feel so listless. A tighter structure, with a more clearly defined melody in the verses, would have made for a stronger end product. It feels as if we’re coasting this way and that without much purpose until we reach the chorus.

Fortunately, that chorus is pretty strong. It’s no “Rough” or “Me Gustas Tu” or “Fingertip“, but I appreciate how it takes its time to unfold and develop, rather than opt for a simplistic EDM-style structure the way so many of today’s songs do. Of course, that dramatic, anime-esque instrumental helps. I only wish the producers would have pushed even farther, injecting electric guitar and a more dynamic, uptempo beat. GFriend need another big dance track in their repertoire, and “Time For The Moon Night” could have transformed into something truly epic with a little tweaking. Even so, it’s a step back in the right direction for a group that once seemed unstoppable.

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