Multinational girl group Blackswan don’t return with new music often, averaging about one comeback per year. This is a difficult approach for an idol group. So much of an act’s success hinges on constant content for fans, but too often Blackswan’s career feels like a series of fits and starts. Because of this, each song really must swing for the rafters.
New single I Like It Hot follows Blackswan’s general style, mixing K-pop sounds with international elements. The instrumental has strong middle eastern influence, which feels somewhat unique for K-pop. However, the song doesn’t do much with this sound, preferring to throw predictable fragments of melody over the top. Minus the production, I Like It Hot could have been peddled by pretty much any girl group opting for a more hip-hop inspired sound. When evaluating melody, I often imagine how a song would sound stripped back in an acoustic version. In this version, I fear I Like It Hot would simply become a few girls talking melodically, leaving little impression after the track finished.
This isn’t to say that every song needs to be a melodic knockout and I Like It Hot is clearly aiming to be more of a party jam than a bear-your-soul piece of songcraft. On that front, the track is functional but hardly inspiring. It’s got great energy for three minutes, but I doubt I will remember it in a month’s time.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
7
Bias
8
RATING
7.5