[DEBUT] DRIPPIN – Nostalgia

I am VERY excited for this one…. The long awaited debut of Woolim Entertainment’s new boy group DRIPPIN (don’t mind the name). The group are made up of some of my favourite contestants from the competition show ‘Produce X 101’, including X1 member Cha Junho. The group have made a bold arrival on to the KPop scene with debut single ‘Nostalgia’ and first mini album ‘Boyager’ (again, please don’t mind the name haha).

‘Nostalgia’ is an ambitious debut track, optimising the funk guitar sound of the past, but not playing into the hands of the retro genre like a lot of recent releases. The song instead blends the funk sound with recognisable pop elements to lean into a nostalgic (hehe) borderline-second generation sound (I live). Percussion and muted synths keep the song moving along with the guitar riffs, building tension and hype as the song travels. The arrangement offers many an opportunity for the members to explore different dynamics within the song, and show off their vocals, which hold some impressive clarity.

The vocal strength of the group shines out quite clearly to me in this track, with each individual member proving themselves but also combining forces to deliver a smooth pop sound. Although I have heard almost all of the members sing in the past, this song sees them all level up. Junho, in particular, has improved so much from his days on ‘Produce X 101’ and even from his X1 days and is given the chance to show off his skills much more in this lineup (proud). Also worth mentioning is Lee Hyeop who I thought had one of the best voices in the competition show, and I’m overwhelmingly excited to see him as part of this lineup. Although this song does have its slight dose of a Lee Hyeop high note and ad lib, the arrangement doesn’t lead to unleashing his full potential, so I’m looking forward to hearing him really let loose in future title tracks.

Without even realising it, I have kind of come to the conclusion that even though I’m an SM girl through and through (music-wise), Woolim also have my heart. I remain constantly impressed by the Woolim sound, forever making music that holds impact but never feels convoluted, and making title tracks that bring huge amounts of addictive energy. Even though ‘Nostalgia’ isn’t as subversive as some of the Woolim seniors’ songs, DRIPPIN have been given a debut track that they can shine on and they take the opportunity and run with it, bringing us a strong, professional sound. The group’s vocal blend and energy on both the title track and the album astounds even me, who already knows these members, and makes me really excited for the group’s bright future. This is the most excited I have been about a debut in a while – the entire album feels polished and complete without over-complicated arrangements and melodies. I already knew there was a risk of me falling into this group….. and well, I predicted right because it has happened.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Favourite song from the album: Light