Over five years into their careers, CIX find themselves at a bit of a crossroads following Bae Jinyoung’s exit. They’ve proven in the past they can churn out gold through tracks like “Cinema“, and in this important time for them, they’ve fortunately managed to find a bit of magic again with “THUNDER“.
The track gets straight to the point with an acapella opening that hints at the chorus to come, which transitions into production that’s anchored by percussive hits and electro-synths. The song carries a propulsive energy that rarely relents and mostly continues to build throughout, and the staccato electronic stabs in the chorus are a highlight. It’s not a perfect arrangement, as “THUNDER” should’ve really leaned in to the Daft Punk sound by featuring that chugging guitar instead of relegating it to the background. However, it says a lot about the core elements that a dance break could be a highlight even without the music video around to watch the choreo, as that’s when the production does drift more into that electronic realm and made a captive listener out of me.
The melodies on “THUNDER” are mostly familiar, and the hook is not as emphatic as you’d like on first blush. It’s no “cinema, cinema, cinema“, basically. However, it eventually won me over as I found it surprisingly difficult to get out of my head once I got it down, and it didn’t hurt that “THUNDER” is an easy song to give repeat listens to because of its nonstop energy. It’s also a rare track where the rap break felt necessary and perfectly timed, fitting within the soundscape and providing a break from any potential repetitiveness due to the fact that this is actually three-and-a-half minutes long (!!!). There are times where I’d like to hear more differentiation in their vocals, and one standout could’ve really elevated it, yet it’s hard not to appreciate the harmonies throughout and the ad-libs were a nice touch that added to its charm.
All in all, “THUNDER” checks off a lot of the boxes a lot of older K-pop fans have been clamoring for, providing time-tested melodies, a quality bridge, infectious energy, general fun, and enough time to allow for development of the track. It’s obviously early, but my impression of “THUNDER” has only improved every time I’ve heard it, and it’s easily the standout of the year to this point.