After the massive success of Rollin, Brave Brothers had a singular goal for Brave Girls: make them the new Queens of K-Pop Summer. And honestly, it’s about time! Ever since Sistar left the throne vacant, no group has made a convincing bid to take the crown. Yes, there have been individual tracks that dominated the season, but no one has returned again and again to defend their title. Will Brave Girls finally be the ones?
Brave Brothers – like a few notable Korean producers – has a definitive sound. From melody to pacing to instrumental, you know it as soon as you hear it. And despite working on songs for his new boy group DKB, this high energy style has been absent for too long. Knowing that he would throw all his energy into a summer song had my expectations sky high. After all, this is the guy who gave us classics like AOA’s Heart Attack and Bestie’s Love Options!
Chi Mat Ba Ram (치맛바람) harnesses a similar energy to those songs, but lacks their lethal hooks. Opening with a brassy flourish, the track moves into a sprightly, self-referential verse that unfolds like all of Brave Brothers’ tracks thrown in a blender. It’s not remotely new, but the whole thing moves at such a breathless pace you’ll hardly notice. For their part, Brave Girls imbue the performance with an infectious sense of joy.
As expected, Chi Mat Ba Ram’s chorus hinges on a cyclical structure. Brave Brothers’ melodies always feel as if they’re chasing their own tail, and that circular motion results in a satisfying sense of completion. I don’t think this chorus is particularly great, but it gets the job done. Underpinned by a relentless dance beat, the final product is undeniably fun. And, that may be Chi Mat Ba Ram’s greatest asset. It never takes a moment to breathe, spinning its summertime fantasia with convincing resolve. It’s hard not to get swept up in this conviction, overbaked as the song may be.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
