Whether it be a result of my own tastes changing or a general disconnect with the direction that the industry as a whole is heading, I’ve recently come to terms with the fact that I’ve fallen out of love with K-pop. A sentiment that is pretty noticeable when looking at the current state of the blog. Without any desire to write about, listen to, or really follow the most recent of releases, my posting schedule became almost non-existent. With no posts since September, this is the longest hiatus I’ve gone on since I started Kbopped back in 2020. And though initially this felt like a sign off from my digital moniker and a farewell to the world of blogging, a sudden spark was lit.
Sometimes the sensation of nearing the end can simply be a preface for a new beginning. And over the past month, there have been a few releases that have hooked me in a big way, bringing back the kind of joy and genuine excitement I used to feel pressing the play button years ago. And while I will be writing about some of those other tracks in the future, it feels fitting to open with the song that started it all. RIIZE’s spectacular Impossible.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that a song like Impossible is something revolutionary. It’s not. And to be completely honest, that’s what makes it so great. This is pure, undiluted house music, sticking to the hallmarks of the genre’s best whilst still swerving in exciting directions that manage to make it sound familiar yet incredibly fresh. A little synth squiggle here, some chopped vocals there, it’s these little things that add up and make such a big difference in the final product. The aforementioned little synth squiggle that follows almost each verse or chorus line is such a small detail but adds so much character and texture to the track. This extends to the repeated chopped phrasing that punctuates each pre-chorus. An inferior track would forgo such minor details but by including repetition in threes, the song develops a catchy yet subtle calling card that worms itself into the listeners psyche with ease.
The brilliant production choices further come to a head during Impossible’s breathless climax which blossoms into a transcendent collage of crystalline synths and twisted voice samples. It’s a unique choice to divert from a classic climactic chorus but one that I believe stands as the tracks crowning moment. This is when the song truly breaks from its shackles, delivering a sense of pure euphoria that I haven’t felt from K-pop in a long time. It’s pure pop magic, pulsing forward with a sense of unrestrained joy and conviction that ensures you never tire from the songs excellent collection of hooks whilst still delivering a masterful finale. A finale that could prove to only really be the start of a new chapter for one of K-pop’s most promising groups.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 10
Performance: 10
Final Rating: 9.5 / 10
KBopped 