Limelight leapfrogged up my “Top K-pop Rookies” list last year on the strength of one song. Madeleine emerged last summer as shimmering counterprogramming to many of 2023’s trends. Its bold melodies and propulsive sound only grew more addictive with time, and made me long for a future where Limelight built upon this success with even stronger material.
New single Ta Da isn’t a vast departure in tone, but it misses the change to go bigger and bolder. It feels more in line with K-pop’s brief city pop flirtation than the rousing retro dance pop suggested by pre-release imagery. The beat is ornamented with bright synth and flashes of disco guitar, giving Ta Da a familiar sound. However, the song sticks in one gear all the way through, stubbornly refusing to burst into something more thrilling.
This may be a case of rising expectations being unfulfilled, but I’m struggling to find anything that makes Ta Da feel “title track worthy.” It plays more like a solid b-side, pleasant but uncompelling compared to more standout moments on an album. With that said, the girls sound great and I appreciate the focus on straightforward singing over brash sing-talk.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
