Having put
Fearless
and
Antifragile
together for their bold debut album,
UNFORGIVEN
, Korean five-piece
LE SSERAFIM
take the drama down a notch with the lighter sounds and Western-centric sonics of their third mini-album,
EASY
. Kicking things off with one of the year's most unconventional intros on "Good Bones,"
layer a wild collage of melodies and spoken word pieces over surprisingly heavy guitar lines, building the anticipation perfectly with a thumping, slick sound. Title track "Easy," the project's immediate standout, is quick to capitalize, steeped in a quick-footed confidence that feels light and breezy. It's a sharp left turn from the group's more traditional, anthemic title tracks, but its dainty sonics and
Yunjin
's "¿¿¿¿, ¿¿ ¿¿, kiss me" chorus imbue it with an understated energy and a flowing sound worthy of the song's title. Unfortunately, the project's B-sides struggle a little more with balancing the weight of their influences. "Smart," undoubtedly the designated TikTok hit here, borrows very heavily from amapiano and Afrobeats (both currently having their first major global moment), while fans online have drawn not unfair parallels between the drifting "Swan Song" and
SZA
's "Kill Bill" due to the track's slightly derivative song structure. Things close on a high note with the strongest B-side of the three, "We Got So Much," where
lock melodies for an openhearted closer. Although
steps out of the gate with a grungy opener and a superb title track, its sub-three-minute song lengths and heavy-handed influences put a ceiling on its potential for intrigue. ~ David Crone