When considering the best girl groups of the current generation, you’d be hard pressed to find a list without IVE. The girls have been on fire since their 2021 debut, cementing themselves as purveyors of dynamic pop music that dares to do without sacrificing melody. An approach that’s already delivered a few legendary classics. And while I didn’t connect as strongly with their 2024 material as I would have liked, the anthemic pomp of new single Rebel Heart brings them roaring back into form.
My favourite thing about IVE is their ability to consistently reinvent themselves whilst still maintaining a core sound and undeniable sense of flair. Rebel Heart stands as an excellent example of this, giving the girls a rock fuelled makeover whilst still capturing shades of past triumphs. The rousing hook for example roars with a chanted, almost rhyme-like energy similar to its predecessor, the triumphant I AM, but twists the arrangement to give more emphasis on the driving instrumentation. The result is arguably more overwhelming and remains consistent with the tracks desire to really drive home this new guitar fuelled soundscape.
It’s a soundscape that never lets up, courtesy of a persistent grungy riff that forms the backbone of the entire track. The energy is truly palpable and the way it swerves from verse to chorus is utterly thrilling. This is thanks to an incredibly robust arrangement and a pre-chorus that is wonderfully dynamic, morphing throughout the track to deliver some thrilling melodic highs that only help bolster that wonderfully punchy central hook. And while the English lyricism does slightly grate, the sheer intensity of the production does much to smooth it over. My gripes also extend to the chanted breakdown. It’s short enough to not really impede the track but it’s one of those moments that breaks up an otherwise near airtight production. Thankfully, it gives way to an absolutely euphoric climax. The best IVE songs always deliver a climactic sucker punch and Rebel Heart is no exception, delivering a finale that absolutely soars. It’s explosive stuff, fully embracing a level of maximalist bombast that hits me in all the right spots. I just wish it lasted longer!
I’m going to be a little conservative with the rating subject to longevity but there’s no doubt that this is easily my favourite IVE release in a long while.
Verses: 9
Chorus: 9
Production: 9
Performance: 8
Final Rating: 8.75 / 10
KBopped 
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