Though he was one of the more popular members of Monsta X before his untimely departure, I don’t think anyone expected Wonho to debut with the dark, futuristic synthpop of Open Mind last September. It was a song that certainly painted a distinct sound for him and alongside mass acclaim from fans and critics alike, made many wonder how he would follow it up. Would he go further down the dark funk route? Or would he venture into some other genre entirely? Thankfully, Wonho stuck to his strengths and pursued the former, crafting a knockout dancetrack with the immensly groovy Lose.
Opening with the kind of atmospheric synth work that has become a staple of the industry, Lose quickly moves into more interesting territory once Wonho’s light airy vocals and some background guitar accents come into play. It’s a strong intro, setting an alluring atmosphere before the percussive groove sets in, bumping the song to a complete new level. Here Wonho leans further into the dark funk aesthetic initially previewed in Open Mind and the results are just stunning. The arrangement is just gorgeous, letting the instrumental really breathe and having Wonho’s vocals act as a compliment to it rather than over power it. It’s almost as if the melody is riding the instrumental and this gives the entirety of Lose a real hypnotic feel, furthering the listening experience and truly giving the spotlight to its unshakable groove.
This tracks structure is also immaculate, growing more and more pronounced as more elements come into play during each segment of the track. What opens as a simple electronic thump transforms into an all out dance assault with disco strings and rythmn guitar during its climactic chorus. It’s not an overy complicated song but it knows exactly what it’s doing. And in a day and age where every single song feels like it’s trying to be a mishmash of genres, this kind of sleek, classic pop stands out even more. I’d love to see where Wonho goes next.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 10
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 9.25 / 10
KBopped 
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