I’ve got a serious bone to pick with xikers’ management. Time and time again, they’ve got the group releasing a so-so title track when there are several banger b-sides begging to be promoted instead. Sometimes, they’ll give one of these b-sides follow-up promotion, but often they’re left solely in the hands of fans who buy or stream the entire album. I’m afraid the pattern has repeated yet again with Superpower (Peak).
While the album’s highlight medley teases more engaging dance sounds, Superpower (Peak) tempers a promising pre-chorus and decent hip-hop verses with a needlessly blustering chant at its core. I mostly like the song’s production, which borrows from the very early days of electro-flavored hip-hop. As usual, the hi-hats are too prominent for my taste, but the overall groove is fun and playful. This backdrop gives the guys plenty of space to showcase personality and at well over three minutes the arrangement makes room for a dynamic outro that lets the song breathe.
Yet, Superpower constantly yanks us back to its unoriginal, chanted chorus. I have a pretty strict limit for how much boy group chanting I can stomach in a song. This trope usually sounds grating and monotone to my ears and the hook here is no different. Just imagine how incredible Superpower could be if given a chorus as slick and melodically sticky as the group’s excellent Up All Night from this summer. I swear, it can be done! Producers just need to want to do it.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5