Despite KEY appearing very high on both my 2021 and 2022’s year end lists, I don’t think I’ve ever written a full review of any of his singles. A real shame since I’ve really loved all his work. 2021’s thrilling Bad Love was one of the years most transcendental efforts and last years one two punch of Another Life and Gasoline remain an excellent salvos for his 2nd Album “Gasoline”. New single Killer comes as the lead single for the repackage of that aforementioned album and reignites the synth-wave trend in absolutely thrilling ways.
From the gorgeous opening synth line to the propulsive production that just continues to catapult the track into greater heights, Killer is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish, perfectly encapsulating Key’s star power into one of his strongest singles yet. It feels like a great addition to the sonic duology of Bad Love and Another Life, creating a killer (lol) trilogy of tracks that wring the most out of this current retro boom. Upon first listen, Killer probably ranks in the middle of this flawless trilogy, perfectly capturing a sense of anthemic urgency that lends exceptionally to Key’s passionate performance. I love songs that maintain a sense of continuity throughout without resorting to any jarring tempo or musical shifts and Killer is an excellent proponent of that. It knows exactly what it wants to be from its opening moments and powers towards it with a sense of real, unyielding resolve.
But Killer wouldn’t nearly be as great as it is with its production alone. The melody here is excellent, perfectly tracing the synth line whilst also deviating just enough to give it a sense of variation that works wonders on repeated listens. The chorus is also excellent, making great use of Key’s powerful vocals to deliver a knockout melodic centrepiece that feels like a full fledged meal compared to the the numerous anti-drops or piecemeal efforts we’ve been getting recently. Something which in comparison only makes Killer that much more impressive. In fact, it was probably foolish of me to expect any less from an artist who has never even hinted at slowing down in regards to quality. What a fantastic comeback.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 9
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 9.25 / 10
KBopped 