MOMOLAND Stays Quirky with GREAT!
MOMOLAND has slowly but surely been on an upward slope recently. After winning a few rising star awards in 2017, the group is considered to be one of today’s brightest rookie groups. In addition to Nancy and Yeonwoo’s individual activities, member JooE is also receiving some spotlight after going viral, scoring a few variety show gigs and a CF deal. With this, the group received more attention just in time for their comeback with “Boom Boom,” the very first girl group comeback of the year.
True to Their EDM Sound
Since devoting their discography to the EDM genre, MOMOLAND has never fallen short with their title tracks. From the ever amusing remix version of “Wonderful Love” to the carnival masterpiece that is “Freeze,” the group is one of the few acts that makes the electronic house genre work without being too hostile in execution. “Boom Boom,” the group’s third title track to experiment with the genre, and it’s is another hit, their best one at that.
“Boom Boom”
Switching producers from Duble Sidekick to Shinsadong Tiger, “Boom Boom” is reminiscent of tracks by EXID and T-ara, two groups that Shinsadong Tiger has produced for. The opening guitars, which are reminiscent of Junghwa and Hyelin’s “Are You Hungry?”, do a great job of introducing a funk-house drop that sets the overall feel of the track. The kick-snare samples, as well as the prominent bass lines, add up to a sound that is reminiscent of 2013/2014 T-ara, though MOMOLAND revamps the melody to fit their eccentric character. “Boom Boom” also marks the group’s very first venture with a sexy concept, despite the sensuality being limited. The bridge section, which serves as Yeonwoo’s solo section, exudes so much sexiness that it introduces a potential direction for the group to take in the long run.
Instead of having main vocalists Taeha and Ahin sing the chorus, the group surprisingly assigns its most popular members Nancy and JooE to the execution, which works perfectly as the track revolves around a chorus that isn’t as vocally challenging as its build-up. Despite this, the hook stays potent, crafted with an intelligent play on rhymes in addition to a fidgety melody that easily develops into an earworm. The song also boasts an astonishing killer section that has Daisy and JooE rapping over a trap beat bolting out of the blue, delivering a cool break from the upbeat nature of the track.
The B-Sides
Carrying the EDM sound in the B-sides, GREAT! consists of three more upbeat treats that showcase the great variety of the genre.
The first B-side, “Curious,” is comparable to recent Flow Blow-produced tracks, as well as a few of Zedd’s recent productions. From the guitar riffs to the song structure, the song is arguably similar to Zedd and Hailee Steinfeld’s “Starving,” but does a great job in holding its own. However, it contains a repetitive melody that unfortunately leads to a certain dullness. The arrangement progresses creatively enough, though, providing a great balance to the overall product.
The next two tracks, “Same Same” and “Fly,” are both tracks that venture into the deep house genre, though both contain a superior mix of various executions.
The PINK MOON-produced “Same Same” is quite similar to Junghwa’s “ALICE,” which was featured in EXID’s latest mini-album. The track contains a frisky bass section that layers through an ever-changing percussion arrangement, though it stays majestically quiet all throughout. The vocals are sung in a breathy manner, which goes well with the harmonies, but there are a few sections that could have used a little more vocal intensity. It is, nevertheless, the best B-side of the mini-album. The last song of the mini-album, “Fly,” also contains a few UK-garage influences, though it follows a poppier chord progression. It’s a lot brighter than the previous track and contains a catchier refrain. The song, however, has repetitive tendencies that could have been prevented with a key shift in the last chorus, but overall the track is well-composed.
Overall
“Boom Boom” is a step in the right direction for MOMOLAND. Seeing as the group is known for their creative and unconventional nature, it’s a good decision to have them utilize their character through this comeback. The group doesn’t fall short now that they’ve changed things up, seeing as they’ve successfully pulled off a more mature concept which highlights their many different charms.
“Boom Boom” Title Score – 9.5/10
Music Video Score – 8.0/10
GREAT! Album Score – 7.0/10