Woah, another female soloist? Get outta here! There's a emotion I felt when writing this up and tagging this post with "Hyuna" but not "4minute." Perhaps a mixture of nostalgic and sad. Hyuna's life post-group has been enjoyable, as to be expected. She literally went from the face of 4minute to the face of Cube Entertainment. Since the disbandment, she's onto her third solo release after "Babe" earlier this year. If the teasers were anything to go by, this would a Hyuna release through and through. Her songs have yet to be my cup of tea, and I haven't been attached to anything since the prechorus of "Red" so let's see if that has changed.
Credit is needed where credit is due, "Lip & Hip" is catchy and in a good way. Past Hyuna releases were not this fortunate. Overall the song is loud enough and embodies the typical Hyuna track yet is contained with moments of vulnerability, much like "Red" was. Also like "Red," the prechorus is the high point of the song and takes a sharp but successful transition into the sassy chorus. Perhaps the reason why I've loved these prechorus sections so much is that it shows Hyuna is capable of more than rapping (indeed, some of her B-sides showcase this as well). These singing moments are great and if the verses didn't exist you'd think she was a pretty competent vocalist. That quick drop right before the chorus at 1:06 is awesome and throws you right into the fray. In the past I've lamented songs that built up only to fall apart in disappointment so it's nice to see a song taking the shorter route yet have it work.
As you can tell, my complaints about this song fall on the various verses. Hyuna's rapping is usually okay, but the truth is that she is better at actual rapping than the rap-singing "Lip & Hip" gives her. Mix in a couple inflections (seriously what is the obsession with those) and these parts of the song are extremely underwhelming. Those backing vocals at 0:44 were terrifying and furthered my dislike of the non-prechorus sections. The chorus itself isn't bad, and I love how sassy and confident she sounds. English is quite abundant and the enunciation can be awkward at times ("hips" in particular) but for the most part it gets by. In short: bad verses, great prechorus, okay chorus. Oh and that short bright is pretty sweet, too.
You can always count on Hyuna choreography to be interesting and pleasing to the eye. With a title like "Lip & Hip," the dance was gonna be sexy and fierce. Maybe I'll always link the choreography practice video for these sections if available. Now I've never been extremely critical or nitpicky in dances to begin with, but this is a great compliment to the song. The choreography is on point in the same way that the song was, emphasizing the attention-drawing ability of Hyuna and her backup dancers. The backup dancer she sits on during the second verse transitions into the prechorus like it's no big deal - he's a champion. Interestingly enough I find the movements not as flashy but when combined with the audio makes for a sharper product. From 0:57 to 1:30 is really fucking clean and matches the beats very well. Especially the drop going into the first "lip" of the chorus! It's definitely my favorite part of the choreography.
If you like underwear, then this is the right video for you. Then again, this is Hyuna we're talking about so something tells me you knew what you were getting into. Anybody that even remotely follows Kpop is definitely not surprised by content seen here. Everything about this MV for "Lip & Hip" is authentic Hyuna. From the saucy facial expressions, vibrant color scheme, and dancing in a bra. Hyuna makes looking good feel easy and powerful. Given all the innocent and cute content out there I'll take something like this any day of the week. I know the Korean population isn't as pleased or happy but who cares. She is brazen and bold, with a vibrant color palette to match. This could have been my favorite Hyuna music video...if not for the ridiculous eye makeup. Like I get this is what you'd expect from her but it's really not a flattering look. Whether or not this was her decision is irrelevant. I hate it that much. So much that you'll have noticed none of the teaser images are used as banners.
Ignoring the forgettable verses, this song is dope. The prechorus is just as good as the one in "Red" and the chorus even better. The drop is excellent paired with the electric instrumental, and the freestyle bridge is pleasing to both the eyes and ears. "Lip & Hip" was as complete of a Hyuna song as it could be, but alas, the main verses ruined what was a potential 90+ score. Still, it's a breath of fresh air to get a solid Hyuna song again. The only other Hyuna title track in my library is "Change" so this is a welcome addition that is long overdue. Shoutouts to this being the 222nd song review I've ever written!
No comments:
Post a Comment