When it comes to Korea and Japan, the difference between release scheduling presents an interesting dilemma for reviewers like myself. With K-pop, I’m usually writing about a song mere hours after it debuted, but J-pop’s extended cycle often allows more time for a track to settle in. There can be weeks — even months — between a song’s audio debut and its music video. Stray Kids’ The Sound is a perfect example of this. The actual song has been available for weeks. It’s even been performed on shows like Music Station. But now that it has an official music video, I’m finally writing about it on The Bias List.
To be honest, I’d only heard The Sound a couple of times before today. This probably isn’t a great testament to its longevity! One listen was enough to unveil most of the song’s tricks. The Sound is essentially more of the same from Stray Kids. This isn’t automatically a bad thing. I praise a “signature sound” for a reason. But, whenever a group hitches its wagon to a familiar palette and energy, they run the risk of diminished returns. The Sound is serviceable and relatively straightforward, but there a many more galvanizing examples of its approach within Stray Kids’ discography.
What we’re missing here is the juggernaut chorus of District 9 or the blazing energy of Miroh. Or, if we want to focus solely on Japanese releases, it’s missing the dynamic textures of 2020’s TOP. In short, The Sound feels like a lateral move. At this point, its hard hitting beat and aggressive verses are par for the course. Its hook holds promise but needs more fleshing out to avoid feeling like rote anthem-by-the-numbers material. It would function well on a playlist, but isn’t a song I’ll be seeking out on its own.
Hooks 7 Production 8 Longevity 8 Bias 8 RATING 7.75
