There’s been a lot of online discourse lately about the quality of K-pop vocals, and this conversation makes me think back to my favorite second gen groups and the fact that you could easily distinguish each and every members’ voice. To me, vocal character is more important than vocal skill, but Daesung has both. As the main vocal of a group whose music didn’t always call for that kind of bombast, he’s found ways to temper his power with incredible character.
That character gets new single Falling Slowly over the line, but he really deserves stronger material. I could happily listen to Daesung sing just about anything, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for dull songcraft. Falling Slowly is a pleasant midtempo, but the melodies are unmemorable and the production doesn’t do anything to distinguish itself. It’s been paired with a dramatic music video that will likely garner more attention than the song itself. In that way, it feels very coded to this current K-pop generation!
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
8
RATING
7.25