SONG REVIEW: ONEUS – Bring it on

ONEUS were on fire in 2021, releasing some of my absolute favourite singles and albums of the year with a constantly shifting sound that somehow still maintained a high water mark that eventually culminated in the majestic Luna. New single Brings it on continues the groups ever changing musical palette but faults their near flawless musical streak with a single that feels neither here nor there.

At its best moments, Bring it on feels like a combination of everything that came before it, building upon the rambunctious energy of No Diggity whilst leaning heavily into the more melodic aspect of their past triumphs. The pre-chorus and chorus make for a strong combo, veering close to triumphant but always feeling as though its holding back from really letting loose. The bonkers post chorus corrects this complaint but consists of a borderline grating, flimsy brass loop that aims for festive but ends up feeling a little silly. It’s a catchy brew that comes together well for the finale but it is far from the best we’ve seen from the boys. I commend the track for weaving together its many disjointed segments so seamlessly but that doesn’t make the final product any more appealing.

An issue that I’ve found to be plaguing many boy group songs of the past few months. The production just feels so by the numbers and expected that I’ve kind of compartmentalised them into a single folder in my brain. It sounds like a production team on auto-pilot, giving us a serviceable if rather generic soundscape for the boys to work with. And they do all they can with it, giving a classically great ONEUS performance which helps elevate Bring it on from its more generic leanings if only by a little. In the end, that alone is what makes the song a worth a listen. Though those looking for the quintessential ONEUS experience would be better off looking elsewhere.

Verses: 7

Chorus: 8

Production: 7

Performance: 8

Final Rating: 7.5 / 10