It’s no secret that I’ve found the past few weeks of K-pop releases dull, uninspiring and – in some cases – outright bad. All the while, one name loomed at the edges of my mind. “TWS. TWS. TWS.” My top rookies of last year placed all seven of their promoted tracks in my top 50 countdown. They haven’t put a foot wrong yet, and knowing their comeback was on the horizon shone some light at the end of this murky tunnel.
The way I see it, becoming a fan of a pop act is like signing a mutually beneficial contract. In exchange for support, interest and money, an act owes their fans a certain level of musical satisfaction. Part of that involves building (and more importantly, sticking to) a musical brand. A year into their career, I know what a TWS title track sounds like. Three out of four of them have built upon the same sonic ideas. Some may find this approach repetitive or formulaic, but I look at it more like the score of a film. TWS have their melodic themes and these themes reappear in slightly different guises depending on the scene. Most of my favorite K-pop acts, from Infinite to GFriend, managed a similar strategy in their debut eras. The best of the best find a way to eventually find a new path forward while maintaining their existing fans, but I wouldn’t expect or want that at this point in TWS’s career.
New single Countdown! (마음 따라 뛰는 건 멋지지 않아?) takes the familiar themes from last year’s hits Plot Twist and If I’m S, Can You Be My N and pumps them up to “11.” The song opens with a sentimental version of what will soon become its chorus, anchored by resounding drums and stabs of electric guitar. This arrangement is so satisfying that any time the track shifts into a different mode (verse two), Countdown! nearly breaks its contract with the listener. Thankfully, this chorus is one of TWS’s best, taking full advantage of their refreshing, belt-it-out brand. An instrumental break and eventual chant add further bombast. This arrangement is larger than life and I could have done with another minute of it. This brings me to my only real gripe with the track. It’s just too short, and on first listen feels like two-thirds of a song. I felt this exact same way about last year’s Plot Twist at first. That song ended up becoming one of my biggest 2024 highlights, so I’m not overly worried. However, I can’t help but imagine what they could have done with a bit more time. It’s ironic, given the song’s English title!
Hooks
9
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
10
RATING
9.25