After yesterday’s unit track from members Changbin and I.N, Han and Felix are next on the docket with a music video for their entry from Stray Kids’ new mixtape. We’re moving from rock intensity to a hard-hitting blend of EDM and hip-hop.
After a moody, ornate opening, Truman‘s beat pushes us into an off-kilter sonic landscape. Thick waves of synth battle it out with heavy trap beats. On a purely technical level, I can appreciate what this production is doing. It certainly paints a vibe, at once prickly and suffocating. But on a personal level, this is not a sound I enjoy at all. It’s almost designed to repel me, from the way the tempo drags with a heavy lurch to the shout-rap style of the performance. It’s all very serious and I just don’t have the buy-in necessary to embrace the conceit.
With that said, I can imagine how Truman will resonate with its target audience. Felix and Han are both skilled and charismatic, even when the song itself isn’t giving them much to work with. And even though most of the track sends my finger racing toward the “off” button, its commanding synth backbone offers compelling texture.
Hooks
6
Production
8
Longevity
7
Bias
6
RATING
6.75