Hwasa scored a mega hit final fall with Good Goodbye — a music that took a second to high the charts however didn’t relinquish its place as soon as it obtained there. That success was a welcome shock. I didn’t care a lot concerning the music itself, however I’ve all the time favored Hwasa. Time will inform if these good chart fortunes prolong to new single So Cute, particularly because it’s a really completely different type of monitor.

With So Cute, Hwasa has kicked up the tempo for a shiny synthpop quantity. Its refrain is highlighted by vibrant 80s synths that give it a subtly anthemic sheen, although the music largely performs issues secure. Just like Good Goodbye, So Cute hinges on a couple of repeated melodies that lack edge or shock however unfurl with a comforting familiarity. Nothing about this monitor is designed to shock. It’s smooth (grownup modern?) pop music pushed by an ethereal weightlessness that goes down straightforward.

As you would possibly count on from this description, “ethereal weightlessness” has its limitations. I can’t think about any listener hating this expertise, nevertheless it’s exhausting to image anybody changing into utterly enamored by it both. Such is the case with relentlessly nice fare. With out pressure or friction, So Cute is strictly that. Cute. I’m not even certain it’s formidable sufficient to earn the “so”.

Grade: B-