EXID is back. Back again. Brand new song, tell a friend! Okay moving along: EXID has made another appearance in 2017, with team mom Solji having further recovered from sickness (hyperthyroidism or whatever). Unfortunately, she isn't 100% back and by proxy probably not 100% healthy either. She isn't participating in any live performances, and also didn't film for the MV. Nonetheless I'm glad she's back. "Night Rather Than Day" was a temporary relief effort without Solji but EXID music being void of Solji's voice makes me sad. And I don't wanna be sad. Not all the time, anyway.
The electrifying instrumental that has been so crucial for many EXID songs continues to light up the background air. Those buzzing noises sound odd and grating at first, but they eventually sink into the rest of the beat and you hardly notice them until when it's blatant. I'm displeased with Hani's start to the song. She has good range but she sounds so much better in her lower register. Honestly, if I was less familiar with EXID I wouldn't have even thought it was her singing that intro. On the other hand, Junghwa is making huge strides in her support vocals and has really come a long way from the awkward transition parts like in "Hot Pink" and "Ah Yeah." She sounds far more in her element than Hani with their high notes. Her case really proves that bad parts can obscure even an average voice.
Speaking of "Ah Yeah," LE gives me serious flashbacks with those rap bursts! The back-and-forth banter-esque style of the verses is awesome and I'm glad we got to see more of it. The raps themselves aren't as crisp as "Ah Yeah," but it's still a solid effort and not LE merely coasting on her resume. Questionable English though. With Solji back in the studio, she and Hyerin continue their streak of dominant choruses. That bridge is short and sweet, though admittedly I can't tell who snags those high notes at the end (I believe it's Hyerin). Going to some more callbacks, there is a sequence of notes in the chorus (first heard at about 1:11 in the music video) is reminiscent of the choruses in songs like "Up & Down." If I was a musician, I'd be able to pinpoint exactly which notes they were but alas. "DDD" ultimately has a handful of throwback goodies combined with the fierce instrumental and powerful voices on both sides of the ball, which is to be expected from the group.
Maybe it's been a while since I've watched an EXID choreography intently, but does this "DDD" dance seem more in-your-face than any other previous dance? This probably isn't the case because dances from "Up & Down" and "Ah Yeah" were all about those pelvic thrusts, but "DDD" is honestly very invested in the booty. Like. They're millions deep in the booty stock exchange for this dance. Fanservice is always appreciated in this day and age given all the cute groups out there so I'm not knocking them for this in any way. The simple truth is that it's pleasing to the eye, and can be a bit of a shock with the ocean of cute out there in Kpop. While there's nothing inspiring or innovative about this choreography, it looks nice and sometimes that's all you need.
Holy shit, even when T-ARA isn't actively dropping their signature MVs they simply go get someone else to inherit their spirit. This is an MV of epileptic proportions, and would make the T-ARA squad very proud. The cuts and scene changes are frantic and almost disturbingly so. They probably have caused at least a few seizures to unlucky viewers by now. What exactly is the appeal of this style of editing, I have no clue. But they did it. Appearance-wise, no one can touch the level of beauty Junghwa has in this comeback. It's not even close. Hani didn't do herself any favors because I don't think that color or styling is extremely enticing, but Junghwa is that gorgeous in "DDD." For one last time, I will lament the absence of Solji in this video. Even though she didn't learn the choreography, I was hoping for some cameos at least.
At the end of the day, the baseline attributes of "DDD" range from acceptable to great. The verse structure is fantastic, and the chorus contains the usual one-two punch from Hyerin and Solji. Throw in LE's signature strong rapping and an addictive instrumental and you have all the right makings of a good EXID track. Strange as it is to type, but the special ingredient this time around is Junghwa. Her visuals and support vocals are no joke and can't be ignored. Combined with the successful formula and it's not surprising to see this song with this score. It's not their most incredible release, but certainly far from their worst.
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