Since releasing the very good Love Attack in 2024, RESCENE have become a paragon of the trendy “subdued” girl group sound. I’m not sure why their producers decided not to return to Attack‘s upbeat appeal, and for me their musical trajectory has really stalled. New single Runaway doesn’t do much to change that track, though it offers a bit more pep in its step.
I have a difficult time connecting with this kind of song because it all feels so frictionless. The vocals are soft and whispery to the point of having no presence whatsoever. The instrumental takes a similarly soft approach, dialing back every element to its smoothest possible presentation. Runaway builds toward a few nice peaks where some personality pokes through, but it really needs a more dynamic vocal arrangement. There’s nothing here to distinguish the song from a thousand other girl groups.
If simply placed within this realm of subdued girl group pop, Runaway fairs better by comparison. I like the melodies and the track moves with a stealthy bit of drama. However, I can’t help but imagine a totally different production where the instrumentation truly supported the heft of the chorus with more daring percussion and maybe even a strong synth or guitar line. The song and group deserve producers willing to take the gloves off and throw caution to the wind.
Hooks
8
Production
7
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
7.75