Seventeen members have made smart use of mixtapes to tiptoe into solo work without all the fuss of full comeback promotions. I’m not sure how a single song can constitute a “mixtape,” but music is music whatever you call it and I’m happy to see Dino stretching his wings with more solo material.
As one of the group’s most engaging dancers, Dino deserves a performance piece as striking as he is. Wait occasionally thumps with energy, but the track is surprisingly muted. He functions well as a crooner, gliding across the groove with ease. There’s a smooth polish to Wait, but even after a few listens I struggle to remember much about its melody.
The instrumental is similarly faceless. It’s well-produced, but its plucked percussion lacks an individual calling card. I feel like I could throw a stone in any direction and hit a K-R&B track with this same vibe. the one element that sticks out is the piano, which lends the production a jazzy fluidity that matches the strength of Dino’s performance. It’s a little buried in the mix, but I like its sense of unpredictable movement.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
7.75