Release Date: August 17, 2020
Track Listing
- Not Shy
- Dont’ Give A What
- Louder
- iD
- SURF
- Be In Love
Review
A scant five months after their first release of 2020 IT’z ME ITZY return with a new EP called Not Shy. It is the first of their releases to not fall under the “IT’z…” series.
The title track serves as the lead single, and it is arguably the weakest of ITZY’s a-side songs. It has all the ITZY sound hallmarks, but it lacks the edge of their previous releases. The song’s music video is fantastic but take that away, and the impression Not Shy leaves is not as impactful as it should be.
The album cuts on Not Shy fare better than the lead single, especially Don’t Give A What, which combines the sassy attitude and edginess that the a-side was woefully missing. It also serves as an example of the type of musical direction ITZY should probably gravitate towards in the future. Rock influenced tracks appear to suit them well.
The last three songs on the EP are also attention-worthy. They are more straightforward pop songs compared to the typical ITZY track. iD is a simple dance-pop number free of the usual throw everything at the wall production their uptempo songs have. It’s strange to hear restraint in an ITZY dance song but it has been accomplished with this track.
The final two songs slow things down significantly for ITZY. SURF is a funky mid-tempo tune that takes the group into unexplored musical territory. They surprisingly sound pretty good performing over this type of beat. Speaking of surprising, Be In Love is the most polar opposite of anything ITZY has done so far. They aren’t exactly known for doing anything remotely close to a low tempo love song. It was nice to hear them give one a go.
Not Shy is another display of what makes ITZY so appealing. At least at the start of the EP. It’s the latter half where things get mood shifts in an exciting direction. That leaves the door open for many more musical possibilities for future ITZY releases.
Is this as good as their earlier release (IT’z ME) in 2020? That depends. If you want something consistent across the board, then the answer is no. If you like hearing a bit of musical growth rather than more of the same, you might find more value in Not Shy.
