![]() ![]() That’s nice I guess, though maybe it’s just because I have lower expectations now, which sucks, because I used to love Stray Kids and now I get slightly nervous every time I watch teasers for a new title track haha. I’m still willing to give it a chance in spite of my reluctance.Īt least I can say that tentatively this might be the first Stray Kids title track I’ve liked-ish in quite a while (well, with the hesitant word choices, maybe I’m still not quite sure lol). Time well tell if the hook sinks into my head. The production is surely S-Class, I’ll give it that, but does it matter if I’m not really inclined to listen to the song again? Probably not. There was also one part where Felix was singing and I really don’t like how his voice sounded at the end of the phrase which was all raspy and distorted in an unpleasant way ![]() I don’t know if I can keep listening to it over the next few days but I’ll wait and see. With O.O, ‘watch out baila etc.’ and with dice ‘let’s roll the dice’, at least those phrases I can really hang on to. ![]() Here, it went in one ear and flew out in the next. I know O.O and Dice got a lot of flack for ‘lacking hooks’, but even at first listen for both songs, it is pretty obvious what the hook is meant to be and it does get stuck in my head, willingly or not. But there is literally nothing in the song that I can anchor myself to and think, this is what ‘S Class’ sounds like. I really admire their efforts and the experimental production. I’m guessing from here on out Stray Kids won’t be for me. I’m eager to see how I feel about it in a week’s time. Thankfully, when S-Class is good it’s very good, and those glimpses of inspiration may give the song more staying power than expected. But, you can’t cater a buffet from delicious appetizers and toss a piece of chopped liver on the biggest, fanciest plate. I dig the ode to 90’s hip-hop in the second verse (even if it doesn’t meld with the following pre-chorus at all), and the rugged dance break just before the finale is strong enough to power an entire song. ![]() The intricate, ever-changing production picks up the slack, but the central chant feels like a placeholder until the guys can come up with something better. But then, we hit what turns out to be the main hook and the track loses its fuel. The percussion is genuinely interesting and I love the segue from brash rapping to smooth vocals. Up until its first chorus, S-Class‘s swerves and fake-outs captured my attention. But, I also crave an anchor that grounds the entire track and makes me eager to hit replay. I’m all about pop songs getting weird ( exhibit a, exhibit b). I came away from my first listen of S-Class overstuffed and a bit dizzy, but not exactly satiated. But, the individual dishes must stand on their own and, more importantly, must lead to some sense of satisfaction after they’re combined. Musical buffets can be great - a little bit of this, a little bit of that. This seems to be their answer to JYP Entertainment’s “mixx-pop” endeavor - basically cramming an entire highlight medley into a single song. I admire its chutzpah, and I admire the group’s willingness to experiment with sound and structure. Stray Kids’ new single S-Class (특) has those qualities. There are times when you admire something even if you don’t necessarily like it. ![]()
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