It’s post-Queendom comeback day, as LOONA join fellow competitors Kep1er with new music. Both groups have returned with summer themes, though they’ve taken different routes to get there. While Kep1er’s Up bounded forward with explosive energy, LOONA’s Flip That offers a more subdued house beat. “Subdued” hasn’t been an element of LOONA’s title tracks for a while, and it’s nice to hear them dial down the girl crush shouting.
House music is the dance genre that won’t die. It’s all over global pop music, albeit in varying iterations. K-pop has drained the sound dry, making core elements like melody all the more important. Flip That quickly develops a beguiling atmosphere, harnessing a soft groove that compliments the group’s ethereal voices. The production feels very European in execution, but the energy could have kicked up a notch to give the track extra bite.
Flip That’s biggest stumbling block is its lack of a proper chorus. There’s only so far you can get with a riff-style hook unless that riff happens to be very, very good. Flip That’s refrain is only so-so – more a placeholder than a fully-realized centerpiece. This results in a track that will get your head nodding but little else. There’s just not enough meat on the bone to maintain interest. With that said, I appreciate this sonic shift for LOONA. I’ve never bought them as a “girl crush” act. They’re much stronger within this softer palette, and Flip That may prove to be the U-turn they need to move onto more thrilling material. It wins a spot on the summer playlist, even if it won’t be a song I seek out often on its own.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
