The new LE SSERAFIM mini album might be one of their best. I've been listening to it a lot since it came out yesterday, and it's grows on me every single listen. In comparison to their previous efforts in the trilogy (EASY, CRAZY, HOT), this one knocks the previous releases right out of the park. One of the standouts to me in particular is its' production, the shift from the hype and "crazy" production of Crazy to this slower and melodic sound really works well for them and shows their ability to take on different sounds and ideas whilst maintaining what I personally think is their own vibe. The title-track Hot feels incredibly stripped from what the past releases were, mostly working with bass and drums for the verses and very few keys on the chorus, but it works INCREDIBLY well for the song, it's incredibly catchy and the chorus highlights a trend going forward with this mini album in particular, amazing choruses. The only downside is the length, which leaves much more to be desired. The next song though, Come Over, is nothing short but amazing. The 60s-inspired production with their vocals blends super well together and highlights their vocal abilities. The chorus is an extreme ear-worm too, as its' melody hasn't seemed to escape me and I hope it never does, this one is easily the best song on the mini, (Side note: the MusicCore performance has amazing styling; it fits the concept of the song super well and they all look amazing.). Ash has been considered by fans within the last 24 hours as their best b-side since Antifragile's Impurities, but I don't see it. The production is really solid and it's never boring, but it doesn't top Impurities in my personal opinion. I really enjoy the slow-tempo and production a bunch, it really reminds me of the sound of the Fromis_9 album Unlock My World, a sound I have a strong interest in. I have a strong admiration for the sounds on So Cynical (Badum) and it's probably their best vocal performance on the album, their little cadences throughout the track and the "bop-bop-bop-bop-ruh" during the chorus is super sick. It's overall the most pop-sounding song on the entire project but it is SO good. It reminds me a lot of 2010's pop music, which is a positive. This one might be one of their best b-sides and I can see myself putting it in a Top 10 best LE SSERAFIM songs list.
LE SSERAFIM knocks it out of the park with this release, possibly eclipsing their best effort, Antifragile. With a solid tracklist that's incredibly varied in sound but always consistently good, it really solidifies it's place in their discography from the get-go and validates my personal opinion of them being my favorite K-Pop group. This one is a strong 10/10, it doesn't waste time and identifies itself in the best way possible as a standout in the LE SSERAFIM catalogue.
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