Ever since the release of 2019’s excellent one two punch of Kirin No Ko and Honey Honey, Sexy Zone have been on fire, delivering instant classic after instant classic without a second thought. The groups imperial phase has given rise to some undeniable highlights that not only maintain an incredibly high musical bar but also switch between genres whilst still maintaining a distinct sound. From the triumphant modern masterpiece Run to the slinky, rhythmic dance pop of Right Next To You and of course June’s excellent retro throwback Forever Gold, it’s been a a streak full of wonderful surprises. One that continues with the groups newest single, Trust Me, Trust You.
I still find it so incredible that Sexy Zone manage to consistently bring out the absolute best of whatever genre they tackle. This particular style of auto-tuned electronic RnB was huge during while I was growing up during the late 2000’s and to see it reappear here with a modernised sheen is such a joy. Your enjoyment of Trust Me, Trust You. will heavily rest on how close these particular production elements hit home. For many, I can see this sound coming across as bland or outdated but for me it’s sort of a revelation. The song manages to come across as the perfect fusion of its intended genre and classic J-pop sounds. A notion that’s perfectly expressed within the opening few seconds, where the scuzzy ascending electronics are accentuated by the instantly recognisable keys that lend the entire track the added sense of underlying melancholy that the best J-pop tracks thrive off.
Similarly, the rest of the track unfolds with a real sense of focus. Trust Me, Trust You. commits to its chosen sound and despite playing around with the delivery and performance, follows a noticeable through line that lends a sense of simplicity but never leads to mundanity. An issue which unfortunately befell a similar mid-tempo adjacent track in the form of Blackpink’s Shut Down from last month (though that track has grown on me a decent amount since). Much of that I believe could be attributed to the Trust Me, Trust You‘s excellent chorus, which in expected J-pop fashion explodes into a gorgeous, highly melodic, multi-part refrain that feels oh so satisfying. The vocals here are processed enough to lend the performance a slight robotic feel in line with the production but not enough to the point where the performance itself feels faceless. It just flows so well from verse to chorus and by the time the standout climactic rap verse hits, I’m already sold. In my mind, these boys just can do no wrong at this point.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 9
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 9/10
KBopped 