Hui showcased his funk flair with January’s Hmm Bop and has now extended that energy to summertime with new single Easy Dance. The song pairs him with fellow soloist Kwon Eunbi and was unveiled via a steamy performance at Daejeon’s Waterbomb festival.
Even more than an idol, Hui has become known as an in-demand songwriter/producer, responsible for a handful of K-pop classics. That skill has yet to transfer to his solo music, as Easy Dance suffers the same repetitive structure that marred Hmm Bop. There’s nothing off-putting about the track, but as its title suggests everything passes by with an easy, amiable groove that doesn’t spark much excitement. In between Bruno Mars-esque funk exclamations, Easy Dance bops along its airy hook and generic groove. Hui’s gift for melody is kept at an arm’s length, with no refrain capturing imagination in the way his best work has.
If we lived in a world where Easy Dance was the only funk-fueled K-pop track available, I’d be more likely to cast off my critical lens and embrace its groove, but the song exists in a sea of similar material. With this in mind, Easy Dance doesn’t do enough to stand out. Beyond the novelty of its artist collaboration, it feels like a smooth, pleasant placeholder in between bigger pop moments.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5