A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

I’m not super thrilled with the bulk of Astro’s new album, but I think you could pull four or five of the strongest tracks and have a really strong mini. Thankfully, One is my favorite Astro title track since All Night, and has already had surprising staying power. My other highlights tend to be upbeat, with the summery All Good standing out.

As with much of the album, this song doesn’t bring anything new to the table. But, I tend to enjoy these kind of brisk, energetic pop tracks. Astro’s vocals are especially well-suited to this material, and it’s fun to hear them back in their element. All Good is fueled by a whistled hook and uncluttered, synth-kissed dance beat. Its chorus is similarly straightforward, but takes its time unveiling two separate refrains that compliment each other well.

From the second verse on, the production kicks up a notch and we’re introduced to brass flourishes, synth strings and a looser structure that takes advantages of the track’s upbeat vibes. When All Good finally takes a moment to breathe, its tempo shift occurs during the bridge. This is the perfect place for it, and allows the track to build back up for the climax. It’s a buoyant finale that leads directly into All Stars, which takes a more electronic approach to this same energy. Back to back, they’re a fun blast of pop joy.

Hooks8
Production9
Longevity9
Bias8
RATING8.5


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