Dropping one letter (and parentheses) from your group name shouldn’t be too big of a deal, but since rebranding as i-dle, the former (G)I-DLE has seen their chart powers diminish. It’s too early to tell if last year’s results were a fluke or not, but it makes their upcoming album feel like an important fork in the road of their career. Today, we have the first taste of that album in the form of pre-release Crow.
i-dle’s music has often relied on gimmicks and catchphrases, and given K-pop’s trajectory this year I feared that Crow may feature some actual squawking. At this point, I wouldn’t put it past this industry! Instead, the song takes the group down an edgier path, driven by a stomping glam rock beat. This is a refreshing transformation with unlimited potential, and when the song works it works quite well. The rap-heavy verses are a lot of fun, mostly due to that killer percussion.
From here, Crow feels underwritten. The chorus doesn’t pack the punch I hoped for from a track like this. The energy coasts just as it should explode. Then, Crow segues into an extended outro that further diminishes momentum. I appreciate the risks i-dle take with the arrangement, but these choices leave us without a satisfying finish. To me, Crow feels like a demo with a ton of potential that needs to be fleshed out a bit more.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
7.75