I don’t know if there’s actual correlation between the two, but ever since Johnny’s Entertainment rebranded into Starto Entertainment, I’ve had a hard time falling in love with their music. Maybe it’s an A&R thing, or maybe it’s simply a symptom of a changing industry environment. Whatever it is, recent songs by some of my long-time favorites just aren’t hitting the way they used to. Now, we have the debut of a new group and an opportunity to truly turn the page.
As with any Starto act, Ae! group have been kicking around as juniors for years before making their official cd debut. This comes on the heals of Travis Japan in 2022 and Naniwa Danshi in 2021. Their unique rock-band-meets-dance-act configuration promises some interesting sounds, and 《A》BEGINNING offers a glimpse at that potential. It’s a fiery track, blending a powerful J-pop sound with band elements that set it apart from others within this realm. As far as Starto debuts go, Ae! group are comparable to the harder-edged sounds of KAT-TUN and SixTONES, but they definitely have their own flavor.
Above all, it’s nice to hear such a bombastic, throw-it-all-on-the-line chorus. There’s a distinct lack of “singing as if your life depended on it” in pop music these days, and I love hearing the guys belt out the notes right from the start. 《A》BEGINNING is best when it’s biggest, and fortunately it rarely loses that edge. This is a lot to fit into a single song, and at times the arrangement feels a bit muffled. The opening “woah oh oh” vocal hook lacks the power it should, but part of me wonders if the mixing is simply a symptom of YouTube’s dreaded compression and the album version will sound more robust. Either way, this is a solid debut for Ae! group and hopefully the first in a long line of standout singles.
Hooks
9
Production
8
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
8.75