New girl group Unicode is unique in that all its members are Japanese. I’m not sure how that’s going to serve them in an industry that feels quite insular, but their agency has been smart to give them a quintessentially Korean sound for debut single Let Me Love (돌아봐줄래). Most pertinent to my interests, the song was composed and produced by B1A4’s Jinyoung — one of my favorite idol composers who’s been pretty inactive in the idol scene since leaving his group.
Let Me Love has a sweet, melodic sound that hearkens back to standout acts like GFriend and Lovelyz. Sadly, it doesn’t come close to touching the peaks of those discographies, but I’m heartened to hear this style back in K-pop. If I were to compare Let Me Love‘s energy to a specific K-pop track of years past, it would actually be Apink’s 2014 hit Luv. The two share a New Jack Swing inflected mid-tempo groove. It’s engaging, but never effusive.
It’s hard to get a read on Unicode’s presence as vocalists, as the track doesn’t demand much from them. Its greatest asset is melody — particularly during the chorus. The structure here isn’t bombastic, but its gentle turns create a few catchy moments that hug the listener in a way that feels quite comforting. Beautiful synth textures accentuate this melody and add refreshing texture to the instrumental. If nothing else, Let Me Love makes for a strong jumping off point. It’s not quite there yet, but I love the influences it’s drawing from.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
9
RATING
8.25