It’s onerous to imagine that SF9 can be celebrating their tenth (!) anniversary subsequent yr. Their discography has remained remarkably constant, and each as soon as and awhile they’ll pull out a complete stunner. As with lots of their current releases, Love Race sees their group configuration barely decreased with six out of eight members selling this time round.

Listening to the album’s spotlight medley, it turned instantly clear I might take pleasure in a number of b-sides greater than that title observe. This isn’t a brand new phenomenon with SF9 as they have a tendency to have not less than one standout album observe on every of their initiatives. However whereas Love Race isn’t all the time my factor, the total track is stronger than the teasers prompt. Its worst instincts (the cringy, overdone post-chorus chant) will not be an enormous a part of the observe and the general association unveils a extra boisterous sound than anticipated.

After an atmospheric purple herring intro, Love Race swerves right into a guitar-backed verse characterised by slurry melodies perched someplace singing and rap. The instrumental has a grungy 90’s texture that would have been developed into a really distinctive sound. As an alternative, the fashion is bent to the whims of a extra standard Ok-pop template. Nevertheless, the primary half of every refrain widens the scope of the music in a satisfying approach, including a contact of bombast that works nicely. In my thoughts, this track pairs properly with OnlyOneOf’s equally race-themed seOul drift from two years in the past.

Grade: B