As Hearts2Hearts’ career has blossomed, their music has taken a lighter turn. It seems that the understated moodiness of The Chase was a red herring and the girls have found much more success with buoyant fare like this winter’s RUDE. It’s no surprise, then, that new summer single Lemon Tang is their must bubbly, upbeat track yet.
On first listen, Lemon Tang feels like a hodgepodge of other songs, drawing influence from a variety of summer sounds. I hear a ton of Red Flavor, a bit of Alcohol-Free during the bridge and of course a massive dose of kitschy sing-talk. It’s a lot to take in at first but very “K-pop” in execution. The sing-song chorus cuts through the noise with ease, instantly lodging itself in your brain (for better or worse). I can’t yet tell whether this hook is a suitably jubilant centerpiece or comes too close to the kind of irritating playground taunt I’ve come to dislike in K-pop. For now, I’m feeling pretty generous about it and that’s largely due to Lemon Tang‘s strong summer setting.
Much more successful are the song’s pre-choruses, which bring in gorgeous synth textures and offer a more fleshed out melodic highlight. I also enjoy the moments of harmony during the chorus. These brief vocal peaks remind me of early Red Velvet, further drawing comparisons to Red Flavor. In that lineage, Lemon Tang is the awkward child, succeeding and failing in equal measure. We’ll see which extreme wins out in the end.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
9
Bias
8
RATING
8.25