SHINee have spent the final week celebrating their anniversary with the streaming of a number of concert events. This all builds as much as a brand new single, written by (and that includes vocals from) their late member Jonghyun. Although Poet | Artist gained’t be promoted past a music video, it nonetheless feels extra notable than a typical fan tune. In spite of everything, this is without doubt one of the most celebrated acts in Ok-pop and so they don’t return with new music usually. Additionally they occur to be one among my favourite teams. Ever.

Due to this, it appears virtually unfair to critique Poet | Artist as a tune. Like different well-loved second-gen teams, will probably be sufficient for many followers that SHINee have launched new music in any respect. However me being me, I can’t assist however want these seasoned acts would return with work that both pushes them ahead or recaptures one of the best of their previous output. Poet | Artist doesn’t do both of this stuff, although I doubt it’s meant to. It was initially written for Jonghyun’s second album of the identical title throughout a interval in pop music the place traits didn’t usually align with my private style. So, I’m not shocked that the tune fails to knock me out. Between its lurching mid-tempo vitality to its truncated melodies, the monitor is solely working in an area I don’t are inclined to flock again to usually.

Provided that that is SHINee, their unbelievable expertise and vocal prowess elevates the fabric. Irrespective of the tune, it’s pretty to listen to their tones layered on high of one another, creating that mighty wall of sound that has all the time made them a pressure to be reckoned with. They carry out Poet | Artist admirably, with aptitude and emotion to spare. Nevertheless, I discover the tune rhythmically repetitive with little melody to seize maintain of. When you had been to isolate any twenty-second stretch of the tune, you’d have heard just about the whole lot it has to supply. On this manner, Poet | Artist spins its wheels with out a lot improvement. I’ve a sense the stuttering hook will develop extra addictive with time and it’s so good to listen to them again collectively, however on the grand scale of SHINee classics (of which their are many), Poet | Artist is extra of a pleasing footnote than a towering standout.

Grade: B-