Yes, yes, I know, I know.
Despite October being one of the most packed months of the year, I’ve pumped out a grand total of 2 whole posts over the past 19 days. Quite a record if I do say so myself. And while much of this has to do with the sheer amount of work that I’ve gotten from Uni, I must chalk some of this hiatus down to my own laziness. So, in an effort to stop October from being a barren wasteland in the Kbopped landscape, I’ll be actively trying to review every future release alongside the few songs from the past month that I believe have the potential to make my end of year list (I also better get to that long overdue monthly roundup).
So now let’s talk about Golden Child! Pretty much everybody knows how much I love this group and while I didn’t really vibe with much of their June album, the one-two punch of One (Lucid Dream) and OMG remain one of the years strongest single and b-side pairings. And though I’m very late with this review, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that new single Pump It Up has already captured the hearts of many. And while I do heavily appreciate its sheer unabashed energy, It doesn’t quite hit me like some of the groups strongest efforts.
The best thing I can say about Pump It Up is that it’s so god damn catchy. The hook does feel a little repetitive after a few listens but for a song like this, it’s an asset. It’s pure sunshine in a bottle and the melody is hummable right after the first listen. The instrumental carries a welcome sense of nostalgia, combining Jackson 5 style fuck with a more streamline and modern vocal performance to really make it pop. I love how the energy remains high throughout and it’s great to see the boys return to a more buoyant sound for a single after their darker trilogy of releases. This is Pop music with a capital P. The boys also sound fantastic, with the harmony rich pre-chorus acting as a wonderful salvo for the groups vocal line.
But while there is much to rave about, there are a few things that prevent me from fully embracing Pump It Up’s charms. While it never fails to put me in a good mood, Pump It Up is a song I’ve found to not hold much instant replay value. Personally, it finds itself next to tracks like It’s U, solid, but one that I don’t find myself coming back to very often. It also lacks the kind of single knockout moment that characterises many of my favourite Golden Child singles, especially when compared to the aforementioned OMG. But regardless of these very personal qualms, it’s great to see Golden Child return to their more upbeat roots and while I didn’t quite love Pump It Up as much as I had expected to, it’s hard to deny its sheer jubilance.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 8
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 8.75 / 10
KBopped 
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