A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
B1A4’s new album blitzes through three uptempo tracks of different genres before concluding with more sentimental fare. If played like a DJ set, Pause would be the climax of its dance material. I’m trying to remember if the group has ever attempted a house music sound before. I think this is new for them.
At two minutes and forty seconds, Pause has no room for filler. It presents its thumping dance beat right from the start and offers a series of taut hooks that keep the energy high. This climaxes with a brilliant use of vocoder that gives the track a futuristic spin.
Pause isn’t particularly ambitious — especially when stacked against many of the group’s past glories. However, there’s something nice about a song that knows what it wants to do, races through its groove, and leaves before it wears out its welcome. I’d love to see them expand this sound for a future comeback.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
8
Bias
9
RATING
8.5