Song Review: DKB – Rollercoaster

This year, Brave Brothers has proven he still has his special songwriting spark. His compositions for Brave Girls are some of my favorite music of 2021. This makes me wonder why he can’t seem to conjure equally great material for boy group DKB. It must come down to expectations. Many K-pop boy groups are expected to deliver music that’s “cool” and attitude-infused. They don’t always get the fun, melodically rich stuff.

I’ve had a hard time connecting with any of DKB’s title tracks thus far, though they have a few b-sides that are quite good. There’s much that can be done with their chill, hip-hop influenced sound, but songs like Rollercoaster (왜 만나) never really get off the ground. The track is muted right from the start, utilizing soft synth tones and an easygoing beat. Yes, I’ll pull out my overused descriptor “languid” to categorize Rollercoaster (which is ironic given its title!).

On the plus side, the song is consistent in this approach. The melodies and performance are equally subdued. Too subdued, if you ask me. Vocal effects smooth the edge from the delivery, giving Rollercoaster a sleepy, slurred sound. It’s very reminiscent of material that flooded Western pop charts from 2017-19, favoring a minimalist approach and relatively uneventful refrains. This crafts a pleasant vibe, but doesn’t pull me in. DKB’s members seem to have some nice vocal tones, yet they aren’t given much spotlight here. I’ll give kudos to the group and Brave Brothers for sticking with a signature sound. I just wish I could get excited about their music.

Hooks 7 Production 7 Longevity 7 Bias 7 RATING 7 Original Article