New boy group YOUNITE are set to debut next month. Before that, they’ve dropped a pre-debut track to ease us into their sound. Everybody fits within Brand New Music’s hip-hop style, offering a refreshingly warm and youthful take on the genre. I haven’t been too impressed with 2022’s debuts so far, but my eyes are now on YOUNITE. Heck, their group name isn’t even half bad!

Featuring the agency’s DJ Juice on turntables, Everybody coasts along a chunky funk beat and keeps its groove aloft for nearly four minutes – a minor miracle in modern K-pop! It’s nothing fancy, but that’s kind of its charm. You’ll nod your head and have a good time. Sometimes it’s as simple as that. And when the cool scratching breakdown kicks in two thirds of the way through, you’ll realize how retro the track is without succumbing to the sort of in-your-face, trendy retro that’s been making its rounds over the past year or two.

The past few weeks have seen plenty of hip-hop boy group tracks. Some have been alright. Many are a few decibels from becoming shouting matches. I think Everybody is the strongest yet. Its verses are entirely rapped, and the groove accommodates space for personality to poke through. I don’t get the sense YOUNITE are puffing up their chests and trying to impress or intimidate. They’re just having fun, and it’s a pleasure to absorb this good energy. Chanted responses add more interplay and life to these verses, further enhancing the funk appeal. Everybody’s chorus could be stronger and its dull pre-chorus should have been eliminated entirely, but the song’s ebullient spirit carries the day.