Hwasa scored a mega hit last fall with Good Goodbye — a song that took a moment to top the charts but didn’t relinquish its place once it got there. That success was a welcome surprise. I didn’t care much about the song itself, but I’ve always liked Hwasa. Time will tell if those good chart fortunes extend to new single So Cute, especially since it’s a very different style of track.
With So Cute, Hwasa has kicked up the tempo for a glossy synthpop number. Its chorus is highlighted by bright 80s synths that give it a subtly anthemic sheen, though the song mostly plays things safe. Similar to Good Goodbye, So Cute hinges on a few repeated melodies that lack edge or surprise but unfurl with a comforting familiarity. Nothing about this track is designed to shock. It’s soft (adult contemporary?) pop music driven by an airy weightlessness that goes down easy.
As you might expect from this description, “airy weightlessness” has its limitations. I can’t imagine any listener hating this experience, but it’s hard to picture anyone becoming completely enamored by it either. Such is the case with relentlessly pleasant fare. Without tension or friction, So Cute is exactly that. Cute. I’m not even sure it’s ambitious enough to earn the “so”.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8