Since their debut this March, TAN have blitzed the K-pop market with three promoted singles. That’s pretty impressive for a rookie group, and new track Beautiful Lie adds one more comeback to the list. The quality of this music has varied, but I’m glad the guys have been able to keep their name out there. Even within a relatively sparse field of male debuts this year, it can be tricky to stand out. New single Beautiful Lie doesn’t quite match the success of March’s Du Du Du, but it’s an improvement over their past two tracks.

If anything, Beautiful Lie is a victim of its familiarity. Until we get to the rugged chorus, the song is simply repeating tropes we’ve heard dozens of times in recent boy group tracks. The opening is especially exhausting, kicking off with the kind of muted synths that make my eyes glaze over. This sound has been overused to the point of parody. The same could be said about the second verse breakdown, which (as always) feels shoehorned in for no other purpose than ticking an imaginary K-pop box.

But, then we get to the chorus. The beat gains texture and drive and we’re finally dealing with a dance track that seems to have some bite. The melody isn’t very engaging, but I enjoy the propulsive energy. This continues through Beautiful Lie’s final forty-five seconds, which carry the song out on a high. It’s a solid effort from the a group still developing their sound, but a little more ambition might have pushed the track over the edge.

Grade: B