ZEROBASEONE are having a very busy start to the year. Days after their new Japanese single we have pre-release Doctor! Doctor!, to be followed by two EPs — one J-pop, one K-pop — in the near future. Judging by its exclamation-heavy title, you might expect Doctor! Doctor! to be some campy pop romp (at least, I was…). Instead, the guys have taken this opportunity to deliver a mid-tempo ballad. You don’t hear this style much any more — at least from idol groups.
ZEROBASEONE boasts a strong vocal line-up, which is one of the reasons their music has appealed to me. It’s nice to hear these voices gain spotlight through a more subdued track, though Doctor! Doctor! also makes room for a rapped verse at its center. The entire song is much more R&B-informed than expected and seems aimed toward the tastes of the streaming public. It’s not miles away from something a soloist like Crush or Zion.T might release. The fact that ZEROBASEONE can make this sound work is a testament to their versatility.
While Doctor! Doctor! isn’t a particularly exciting song, the group’s performance elevates it. There’s a nice sense of dynamics within the verses, from the melodic range in verse one to the rhythmic shift in verse two. I can’t tell if it’s guitar or synth that I’m hearing during the chorus, but this brief flourish is also a nice touch that gives the track extra texture. The production throughout is warm and well-suited to the season while remaining timeless enough to stake its claim on the charts for many months to come. There’s no way this will end up being my favorite ZB1 track, but it’s a welcome diversion in their ever-changing sound.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8