Ladies’ Code’s “The Rain” is beautifully haunting

There is a lot to be said about Ladies’ Code. Music-wise, they have come into their own after last year’s “Galaxy”. Unlike many girl groups, they choose to emphasize originality over ‘traditional’ playability. This emphasis has made them a bit niche, but their decidedly more introspective, darker sound has created some truly unforgettable songs. “The Rain” is no exception.

“The Rain” establishes Ladies’ Code as The Aesthetic Queens Of K-Pop™. From its start, introducing the listener to the R&B romp through a mixture of jazzy piano and the faint sound of rain, it becomes clear that “The Rain” is not your typical Autumn release. Instead, it creates an audible duality between bouncy melodies and somber vocals.

The chorus, in particular, secures the listener’s interest with odd, but well-placed sound effects. The inclusion of a slight, mechanical tapping beneath all of the other sounds is just strange enough to establish a feeling of unease. This, paired with Sojung’s husky vocals, gives “The Rain” a foreboding quality.

Despite being more up-tempo in comparison to “Galaxy”, “The Rain” is undeniably (and beautifully) subdued. It never becomes too loud or too much for the story being told in the music video. Said story conveys the pain of being engulfed by one’s memories, and this sense of engulfment is aptly expressed through beautiful artistic direction.

Beauty aside, let’s all take a moment to mourn the goldfish sacrifice offered to the K-pop gods in this music video.

“The Rain”, as both a song and music video, is beautifully haunting. It works well on a variety of levels, but its biggest success is its aesthetics.

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‘Strang3r’ Album

“The Rain” Song