Song Review: Dongkiz – Crazy Night

Over the past couple of years, Dongkiz have been one of my favorite way-under-the-radar groups. Last year’s Beautiful took them in an ill-advised “edgy” direction, but other than that their music has been a ton of fun. They really embrace K-pop’s inherent goofiness, even introducing a silly ghost mascot during some of their live stages. New single Crazy Night (못된 송아지 엉덩이에 뿔) takes that goofiness to new levels, pushing the limits of my tolerance for these kind of concepts.

I appreciate how off-kilter Crazy Night is. It certainly sounds different than anything else released this year. And, the quirky video is tons of fun. But, the track quickly becomes more about mugging for the camera than crafting a listenable piece of music.

This aim is on display right from the start, as Crazy Night opens with a high-pitched squeal that has me reaching for the volume. The plonky funk instrumental provides a backdrop for some of the most irritating affectations I’ve heard in some time. I’m not sure who convinced Dongkiz to rap in this style, but it was a very, very bad decision. It’s the audio equivalent of pulling faces, and isn’t nearly as cute as the producers think it is. Worse yet, there’s no respite from this bizarre aegyo assault. Even Crazy Night’s chorus (if you can call it that!) opts for weird squeals and screeches. Dongkiz have basically dropped a beat, done a bunch of armpit farts over the top, and called it a song. I don’t get it at all. Maybe it just went over my head?

Hooks 5 Production 7 Longevity 5 Bias 3 RATING 5 Original Article