Song Review: Hi-L – Too Too (22)

2021 continues to be light on girl group releases, with the sheer number of boy group comebacks dominating K-pop’s schedule. I’m not sure why this is, but August feels particularly lopsided. Red Velvet, Brave Girls and Weeekly are pretty much holding things down.

Throwing their hat into the ring is brand new group Hi-L. They hail from the generically-titled K-Pop Live Entertainment (formerly A100 Entertainment), also home to XUM (formerly Neon Punch). The amount of “formerlys” in that sentence doesn’t bode well for the agency’s ability to keep anything going for longer than a few months, but they’ve given Hi-L a solid debut track. Too Too is a slight effort, but it’s cute and catchy and performed well.

The track hits immediately with its percolating tropical loop. This sound isn’t novel, but it’s bright and well-suited for the summer. I appreciate how this element provides a through-line across the entire verse, lending the song great consistency. As the girls trade between vocals and rap, the transition is seamless and satisfying. The production switches up for the pre-chorus, but we’re back at it when Too Too unveils its central hook. This melody is catchy from the get-go – simple but very effective. That tropical loop continues to anchor the instrumental, even when verse two pulls back on the energy. The result is pleasant and addicting. I’m not sure Too Too will win any awards for originality, but that’s not the point. This is fun pop fluff with hooks to spare.

Hooks 9 Production 8 Longevity 8 Bias 8 RATING 8.25 Original Article