Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
I’m not sure how or why I missed out on writing a review of NATURE’s August debut “Allegro Cantabile“. I liked the track quite a bit, and over the course of a few weeks it became one of those steadily growing earworms. Korea didn’t exactly agree, as the girls have struggled to gain a foothold in the hyper-competitive realm of girl group debuts. Nevertheless, they’re back with second single “You’ll Be Mine“, which stands out thanks to its disjointed structure.
The song’s stop-you-in-your-tracks, wtf energy doesn’t hit until its sledgehammer chorus. Up until that point, “You’ll Be Mine” is the kind of perky, sing-talk girl group fare that’s become ubiquitous in a post-TWICE K-pop world. These overly familiar verses are tweaked a bit by a retro bassline that gives the track some groove. This is most effective as hip-hop takes precedence during the second verse. It also flows well with the higher-pitched pre-choruses, which effectively blend the girls’ innocent performance with perfectly placed percussion.
Even with its quirks, all of these segments feel perfectly normal — even generic — for this kind of girl group release. But, this is all torn to shreds when the heavy, EDM-influenced chorus hits. The first time through, this rough transition seems overly jarring. But, once you know to expect it, the instrumental’s aggressive energy is kind of welcome. I wish the chorus involved more melody beyond the chant-heavy hook we get, but I much prefer it to the aegyo-infused delivery the group is peddling during the verses. In the future, I hope they can find a better balance between the two. That synergy would go a long way in establishing their brand in a crowded marketplace.
