K-pop is getting its summer started early, with a few seasonal releases during a period usually reserved for April showers. First we had RIIZE’s excellent Impossible, and now we’ve got a summery pre-release from ZEROBASEONE. Sweat arrives about three weeks before the group’s newest album and delivers the kind of energetic dance pop perfect for the beach.
While Impossible veered much closer to straight-up house music, Sweat feels more indebted to overall K-pop trends and history. It’s got a catchy “rum pum pum” hook and a few minor switch-ups in tempo and energy. This causes the song to feel a bit generic among boy group fare. ZEROBASEONE have had a pretty identifiable sound so far and Sweat feels more like a red herring than a continuation of their style.
However, this is a sound I tend to be biased toward. I’m a sucker for bounding, feel good beats and singalong melodies. In this case, I would have liked to hear more ascending melodies rather than the constant descending lines that characterize both parts of the chorus. Sweat never quite soars and this is largely due to its melodic structure. Thankfully, the buoyant production keeps things sprightly and the guys give it all they’ve got, making this an enjoyable prelude to the oncoming summer months.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
8
RATING
8.5