Release Date: October 11, 2023
Track Listing
- ⟡
- Invincible
- Rhodanthe
- Heavy Metal Wings
- 37.5 Celsus
- Moto Princess
- Oui
- Enhanced Flower (Lee Jiwoo solo)
Review
tripleS is the world’s first “fan-participating girl group” that debuted in February 2023 with the EP Assemble.
Having gone in with low expectations, I found their debut EP enjoyable. So why not look at the group’s sub-unit releases since if they are half as decent as the primary unit, they might be worth trying, right?
So, in this review, I listen to EVOLution’s Mujuk.
EVOLution is the fifth tripleS sub-unit, and they debuted on October 11, 2023. Like the other tripleS sub-units, the fans voted the members into their respective groups.
The eight members voted into EVOLution are:
- Kim Yooyeon
- Mayu
- Kim Nakyoung
- Kotone
- Kim Chaeyeon
- Lee Jiwoo
- Kim Soomin
- Kwak Yeonji
EVOLution’s debut album is titled EVOLution <⟡> (Mujuk), featuring the song Invincible as its title track.
Invincible is a song that instantly helps set the EVOLution sub-unit apart from the others in tripleS. It doesn’t have the funky urban pop feel of Acid Angel From Asia, LOVEvolution, or the girlish charm of +(KR)ystal Eyes.
Instead, it has a quirky yet accessible dance-pop style that feels like something that would belong to their label mates Odd Eye Circle. That makes Invincible a real attention-grabber and already interests me in what else EVOLution offers on this EP.
More engaging songs reside within the b-sides/album cuts. The one that sticks out the most is Rodanthe. Why is that? Attentive listeners will notice it has similarities to IZ*ONE’s Fiesta, except not as overproduced. Given that the composers of Fiesta also created Rodanthe, it shouldn’t be surprising that they recycled (or repurposed) a few of the same sound patches and ideas.
So, if you’re wondering why the song sounds familiar, that would explain it. For those who like that style of girl pop, Rodanthe will suit your needs perfectly.
The remainder of Mujuk is a mix of the different types of music tripleS has tried up to this point. You get a bit of funky urban pop with songs like 37.5 Celsius, Oui and Heavy Metal Wings, and a touch of the clubbier sound with Moto Princess.
The only real letdown is the final song, Enhanced Flower. Much like many modern pop songs, it’s too short. But this one is like NewJeans’ Get Up. It’s only part of a song that should have been fully fleshed out but gets cut off when it’s getting good. Why this is a thing is beyond me, but it should be stopped.
That one hiccup doesn’t bring the entire album down. Mujuk is just as addictive as the other tripleS sub-unit albums and is worthy of many repeated listens.
