DKB's “Sober” comeback is a far cry from what we've seen from them before—and that can be good or bad, depending on who you ask. Historically they've opted for a largely R&B sound given their number of vocalists, and that pattern is followed on two of the other three tracks (with the third being a remix of “Sober”) on their new mini-album, REBEL. That sound has worked pretty well for them, but that's not to say they shouldn't bother trying something new. While they've had a few rap B-sides in the past, “Sober” is their first straight hip-hop title track, and it takes a sharp turn from what we've come to expect from DKB.

These R&B influences are nowhere to be found on their new title track, which is much more boisterous than its predecessors. It's not an exaggeration to say this song is almost entirely shouted, and it’s almost impossible to tell whose voice is whose, especially with the doubled filtration. The chorus is, frankly, the hardest part to listen to given its mishmash of sounds piled over each other, which can only be described as cacophonous. Their verses provide some reprieve from the general loudness, but the overall composition sounds very random; the synth and clanging percussion layered over a piano line buried far underneath just makes for an overall combative sound.

For what it’s worth, the music video works well with the song; it’s appropriately wild in its narrative, costuming, editing, and features a lot of crackin’ open a cold one with the boys, as the song’s title would indirectly suggest. 

Edited by Vivian N.