Upon joining Pledis Entertainment (and therefore, HYBE), interest in fromis_9 has surged. Thankfully, this occurs as the group are enjoying a musical resurgence as purveyors of frothy disco pop. On a personal note, I have a newfound appreciation for member Nagyung, who took a very dark turn in the recent Shadow Beauty web series. It’s almost hard to reconcile that character with DM’s upbeat pop sound!

The girls have found a winning formula with this brand of disco vs. city pop vs. straightforward K-pop bop. DM doesn’t stretch itself in interesting ways, but it knows how to deliver a fizzy head rush. (This seems to be a trend in today’s releases, huh?) The song opts for a slightly more mature energy than past titles, confidently unveiling a new era for fromis_9. The producers get every genre trope correct, leaving little room for surprise. This is both a benefit and a drawback depending on your expectations.

Fortunately, DM hinges on a strong chorus. I love melodies that introduce themselves with big, sweeping hooks. The track could’ve been content to exist as another head-nodding city pop pastiche, but that chorus bolts it to another level. It’s the centerpiece so many of these songs are missing. The synth accents that follow are gorgeous and should have been used more judiciously throughout the arrangement. Instead, DM chugs along on the momentum of its vibe, unwilling to dirty things up for a funkier affair. In this way, it’s a little sanitized. But, I can’t say I’m not sold on its brisk energy.