It’s been a long time since the hyper pop duo CocoSori was spotted in the K-Pop scene. While some fans believed that the duo disbanded after their last release in 2016, the girls made their return this week with their first mini-album, Mi Amor, two years after their last release.

While Coco juggled activities from her YouTube channel to her solo promotions during the group’s hiatus, Sori became a member of the Real Girls Project and participated in MIXNINE, where she placed 7th out of the 18 female finalists. After the two ladies promoted separately, they traded their colorful skinny outfits for more elegant dresses and came back with a fresh new sound.

Mi Amor

The title track “Mi Amor” is a complete 180 from the typical rock-pop infused tracks of their earlier music. The new single is a tropical house track that utilizes sharp synthesizers to create a great hybrid with more traditional sounds that come into the picture later, like the Spanish guitar and percussion. Originally written and released by Royal Pirates, CocoSori recorded the track with its lyrics totally re-written to fit the point of view of a girl in love. While the track delivers with its catchy and quirky melodies, the song is a bit uneventful in terms of arrangement. Coco and Sori, however, are able to pull off the track with their falsetto-mixed vocals.

Nevertheless, it still is the duo’s best title track to date. While their previous tracks have showcased their unique qualities and amusing elements, coming out with a more public-friendly sound was the perfect way to go. This move has re-launched the duo as an act that can pull off a trendy concept in addition to their past, quirky selves.

The B-sides

The duo’s first mini-album contains three additional tracks, all of which are top quality, making for an enjoyable musical diversity.

The first B-side, “Static Electricity,” is an 80s-influenced pop jam that draws inspiration from the trot genre. It sounds like something Crayon Pop would release, and is a great follow-up to the title track.

However, it is Coco’s solo debut track “Wishy Washy” that remains the best B-side of the album. It’s a light acoustic pop track that has a bright, appealing melody which easily pulls the listener in, and it succeeds in showing off Coco’s vocal color. It’s easy to listen to, having a pleasant composition. The final track on the album is “Dark Circles,” the group’s last single. Sounding much like the duo’s previous releases, the track has a strong rock-pop-trot base that is layered with Coco and Sori’s spunky vocals.

Overall

Overall, “Mi Amor” is a step in the right direction for CocoSori. While they may have traded in their unique sound for a poppier product, results show that it suits them well and still showcases their individual color. They may have to switch a few things up a bit for the next comeback, but with the girls delivering something fresh for their brand new start, both the group and their next comeback are definitely something worth keeping an eye out for!

“Mi Amor” Title Score – 8.0/10
Music Video Score – 6.5/10
Mi Amor Album Score – 7.0/10

Overall – 7.17/10