Sandwiched between Western and Lunar New Year, January has been pretty dry when it comes to new music. And, most of what’s been released hasn’t felt particularly noteworthy. In many ways, it’s as if we’ve simply kicked the start of 2025 down the road, finally ready to open the floodgates next month. If that’s the case, I hope CIX’s Thunder acts as a clarion call to unleash energy and verve throughout the industry.
CIX’s music has a mixed track record on this blog, with occasional synthpop stunners battling it out with murkier material. Thunder marks their first new music as a four piece after Bae Jinyoung left the group last year. It also feels like a statement of intent, directly placing them in the new-gen funk-pop lineage re-popularized by groups like RIIZE. On its face, there are plenty of recent boy group tracks that sound like Thunder (WHIB’s excellent Rush Of Joy comes to mind), but its success lies in the details. The propulsive melodies and airy vocals feel quite familiar. Generic, even. Yet, the track is buoyed by a crackling electro backbone that supplies a competing texture. This grows more addictive as Thunder develops, climaxing in a fantastic dance break toward the song’s finale.
Thunder also benefits from a fully-fleshed out structure, making room for two central hooks, a brisk second verse rap and some surprisingly dramatic vocal flourishes during its pre-choruses. I’d love to hear more individual character in these vocals, but CIX give a polished performance that matches the airtight arrangement. Overall, Thunder feels like the first major musical moment in K-pop’s 2025.
Hooks
9
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
9
Grade: A-
Sandwiched between Western and Lunar New Year, January has been pretty dry when it comes to new music. And, most of what’s been released hasn’t felt particularly noteworthy. In many ways, it’s as if we’ve simply kicked the start of 2025 down the road, finally ready to open the floodgates next month. If that’s the case, I hope CIX’s Thunder acts as a clarion call to unleash energy and verve throughout the industry.
CIX’s music has a mixed track record on this blog, with occasional synthpop stunners battling it out with murkier material. Thunder marks their first new music as a four piece after Bae Jinyoung left the group last year. It also feels like a statement of intent, directly placing them in the new-gen funk-pop lineage re-popularized by groups like RIIZE. On its face, there are plenty of recent boy group tracks that sound like Thunder (WHIB’s excellent Rush Of Joy comes to mind), but its success lies in the details. The propulsive melodies and airy vocals feel quite familiar. Generic, even. Yet, the track is buoyed by a crackling electro backbone that supplies a competing texture. This grows more addictive as Thunder develops, climaxing in a fantastic dance break toward the song’s finale.
Thunder also benefits from a fully-fleshed out structure, making room for two central hooks, a brisk second verse rap and some surprisingly dramatic vocal flourishes during its pre-choruses. I’d love to hear more individual character in these vocals, but CIX give a polished performance that matches the airtight arrangement. Overall, Thunder feels like the first major musical moment in K-pop’s 2025.
Hooks
9
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
9
Grade: A-