Song Review: Twice – Talk That Talk

With their recent contract renewal, Twice have beaten K-pop’s “seven-year curse” and established themselves as one of the longer-running girl groups within the industry. Fans have plenty to celebrate, and the group is ready to provide the soundtrack without much delay. The aptly-titled Between 1&2 acts as a bridge between stages in Twice’s career, and its title track Talk That Talk feels like a well-timed endorphin rush.

Since 2020, the group’s music has leaned harder toward lush synth sounds. Songs like I Can’t Stop Me and Scientist work as the perfect evolution of their debut-era charm. Their music is still pop with a capital “P,” but it feels sleeker and more effortless. True to form, Talk That Talk’s ebullient instrumental is absolutely brilliant. Its synth and percussion forge a driving beat that becomes more syncopated during the chorus. It gets funkier than I expected – especially when the bassline is pulled forward in the mix. I’m pretty smitten with the song’s bold energy, which matches the upbeat nature of other recent girl group standouts.

As expected, Twice deliver a strong performance to match this bubbly production. The melody is varied enough to spotlight individual charms within the members’ voices, melding the powerful with the breezy during its two-part chorus. The hooks explode here, egged along by that ultra-rhythmic instrumental. Talk That Talk‘s verses are more conversational and include a sprinkling of the chanty Twice-isms we’ve grown accustomed to. But, the exclamatory moments aren’t overplayed. And, Twice have certainly earned the right to revel in the sound they helped popularize over the past seven years. I’m not sure what’s in the water this month, but we’ve got another mega-banger to add to the August playlist. I’m not complaining!