SONG REVIEW: We Ride – Brave Girls

Ah Brave Girls. Now that’s a name I havn’t heard in a long time. In fact it’s a name that’s all but disappeared from the Korean music industry for the past 3 years. The last we heard from the girls was with their 2018 tropical remix of their 2017 hit Rollin‘; a song which was also the last original single the group released before going on what seemed like a near endless hiatus. But it seems like 2020’s going to keep supplying us with surprises as seemingly out of nowhere we have We Ride.

Now after almost three years, a group like Brave girls really needed to throw down the gauntlet. I mean you can’t just disappear for this long and expect to maintain the same kind of popularity within such a cut throat industry. And that’s probably why despite all its charms, We Ride just feels so basic. Now I love city pop and I love groups embracing retro concepts but rather than feel like a big return, We Ride feels exactly like a pleasant b-side. It’s nice, warm and feels like an overall swell time but I fail to really remember much after its done. In any other circumstances I wouldn’t really be annoyed but the last thing these girls needed was something that just dissapaits into thin air. Sure, I’m thankful that it’s not the whispy ballad or languid trap fest it could have potentially been but I really feel like they could have done with something more impactful.

Especially since these were the same girls who released both Rollin and the incredibly underrated Memory on the same album. Songs that hit you almost immediately but linger within your conscious long after the last note. And as solid as We Ride is, it’s missing that spark. But while I do consider this a rather underwhelming return, there are many things that I do actually like about the track.

For one I love any song that embraces the 80’s and once again I must reiterate my joy at this new wave of retro inspired tracks around the world. This automatically wins We Ride some points in my book. And at its best, the song sounds like it could have potentially been a part of a post 2015 Wonder Girls album and that’s no small compliment. The melody goes down easy and I love how the energy remains throughout. And while my gripes about promotion still stand, I wouldn’t mind it if this were to come around in shuffle.

Verses: 7

Chorus: 8

Production: 8

Performance: 8

Final Rating: 7.75 / 10