Rookie rock group Dragon Pony’s Pop Up impressed me final yr, a lot that they almost climbed the highest of my 2024 rookies listing. Highly effective vocals paired with robust songwriting will all the time attraction to me irrespective of the style. Pop Up additionally managed to accommodate a hook so anthemically pleasing that it grew to become simple. Observe up Not Out isn’t as hermetic, nevertheless it packs a couple of wallops that pull it over the road.

In distinction with the bounding vitality of Pop Up, Not Out performs its hand extra furtively. The verses are extra downbeat and mawkish, leaving the refrain to do the heavy lifting. The music actually involves life throughout its energy notes, the place vocalist An Tae-gyu’s commanding tone is allowed to flourish. That is Dragon Pony’s strongest calling card and I’d love to listen to extra of it. A lot of the indie rock scene in Korea focuses on gentler, extra OST-ready sounds. Dragon Pony have the products to go full-on pomp rock.

Since Not Out‘s lopsided sound makes for a a lot much less instantaneous rush than their debut, I’ll be curious to see how the music ages. Although I discover myself slogging by way of the verses to get to the refrain, the truth that there are nonetheless highlights price ready for bodes nicely.

Grade: B-