Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Over their seventeen-month history, The Boyz have waffled between lighter and darker concepts. Long-time readers will know that I’m most inclined towards their funkier material, but November’s “No Air” ended up growing on me quite a bit. Nevertheless, I was excited to see that “Bloom Bloom” would bring them back to a bright, poppy sound. And really, this is about as lighthearted as they’ve ever sounded. The song sacrifices any sense of edginess in favor of its lethally catchy hooks.
The first few times through, I worried that the chorus of “Bloom Bloom” was too saccharine — almost whiny in its eagerness to bore its way into listeners’ memories. I’m still not sure how I feel about the higher-pitched vocal arrangement, but the song itself has proven to stick. Described as “electro house,” “Bloom Bloom” jettisons the expected 90’s influence and brings in a synth-heavy instrumental that draws upon fizzy electronics and vaguely tropical flourishes for an aural sugar rush.
The song plays it hesitant for most of its first verse, holding back the inevitable beat drop for longer than expected. This sense of anticipation gives the chorus quite a bit of punch. A prominent kick comes in to anchor the breezy melody and prevent things from going too cotton candy sweet. It’s the kind of song that probably would have worked better in the hands of someone like ASTRO, but The Boyz still prove up to the task. They’re at their best when the energy really gets going, which makes it disappointing that “Bloom Bloom” has a few too many lulls for my taste, even if they result in some fun rap breaks and a momentum-building pre-chorus. Overall, those elements don’t quite match the high precedent set by “Right Here“ and “Giddy Up“, but it’s another strong, upbeat entry in The Boyz’s discography.
