J-pop promotion schedules can be a bit weird, especially when compared to K-pop’s tightly-wound logistics. &TEAM’s new single doesn’t officially come out until next week (at which point the full music video will be unveiled), but they’ve pre-released it alongside a performance video today. Since the full audio is out, this seems as good a time as any to write about the song.
&TEAM have slowly crept up to being one of my current favorite acts on the strength of their increasingly great singles run. I love them best when performing upbeat, anthemic material (b-side Big Suki is a major jam in case you missed it), but they debuted with a darker, rock-meets-rap sound. Go In Blind is a throwback to that aesthetic, removing buoyancy for grittier textures. Unsurprisingly, I like this less than joy bombs like Aoarashi or pounding rock tracks like Yukiakari, but the song has its charms.
Opening with a catchy guitar riff, Go In Blind moves into a stuttering verse underlined by trap percussion. Things improve as we hit the melodic pre-chorus. This is the song’s most memorable moment and is over way too soon. In contrast, the chorus feels too restrained for its own good. The instrumental beefs up, but the melodies lack the usual spark I associate with &TEAM’s music. The bombast of the arrangement pulls this over the line, but if you’re going to go with a more brittle arrangement, you need the kind of killer hooks that fueled their early-2025 highlight Deer Hunter.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8