As a massive fan of K-pop’s summery tracks, I’ve been waiting for my song of summer to arrive. Usually, the month of June gives us one or two future classics, but we’ve yet to hear anything that competes with past years. So, when the highlight medley for VIVIZ’s new mini album dropped, my spirits instantly rose. A fully summer-themed project with a classic K-pop sound? Yes, please!

Loveade scratches my summer itch, but just barely. There’s a ton of squandered potential here, even if the general vibe is fun and fresh. In the song’s plus column is its bubbly instrumental, bounding along bright synths and an addictive groove. I love the percussion, which forgoes trendy hi-hats for a more dynamic set of textures.

But here’s the problem: Loveade never really does anything. From arrangement to vocal performance, the entire song is weirdly reserved. VIVIZ sound disinterested, but I think most of this is due to the post-production, which smooths out any character. The synths feel desperate to break into full-on Sistar Shake It bombast, but they’re never given a chance. Instead, Loveade bops along with an almost monotonous energy. It’s one of the strangest contrasts I’ve heard this year. All the ingredients are here for a knockout summer track. It’s as if the producers were intent on shaving off anything that might make the song memorable. Instead, we’ve got a decent melody and a strong (if sterilized) instrumental with nowhere to go. It feels like the shadow of a much more exciting single.