It’s been an unexpected “Cube Entertainment circa 2011” flashback this week, with Highlight/Beast, Jang Hyunseung and now HyunA all releasing new music. The actual songs haven’t been nearly as fun or memorable as this flashback suggests, but it’s still nice to see familiar faces back in the fray. HyunA’s music career remains quite active, reliably churning out new work each year. New single Mrs. Nail (못) catches her doing what she does best, though the song could be much hookier.
HyunA has always blended rap and vocals seamlessly, churning out catchy little baubles that have helped define K-pop’s sound over the years. In this regard, Mrs. Nail feels like a return to form, placing her effortless charisma front and center over a robust arrangement that melds rugged bass, walls of vocal layering and brass accents. The musical stage is set for the perfect HyunA single and it’s nice to hear her play around in a setting she popularized rather than kowtow to current trends.
However, Mrs. Nail‘s topline struggles to match the exciting production. The chorus punts when it should slam, wasting its exciting backing vocals on a few bits of throwaway melody. Red, this is not. Fortunately, HyunA’s force of personality carries the track. Her verses are enjoyable and even when she’s simply talking her way through Mrs. Nail it’s difficult to turn your eye or ear away from her.
Hooks
7
Production
9
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8