RBW’s brand new girl group are pretty much primed and ready to debut, but before they take that final step, RBW decided to give KPop fans a glimpse into their plans for the group. ‘My Heart Skip a Beat’ is PURPLE KISS’ first pre-debut digital single, aimed at drumming up talk and conversation in advance of their debut (likely to be early next year).
Not that long ago, my friend and I were discussing our thoughts about what RBW’s new girl group would sound like. With their chief girl group MAMAMOO displaying a broad range of unique and subversive styles, underpinned by showstopping vocals, we wondered whether PURPLE KISS would go in the direction of bubblegum pop, or something a little brighter and ‘poppier’. My initial thoughts couldn’t have been more wrong, as I feel a little bit like I have been through an absolute whirlwind with this track (in a good way).
The song begins in typical mid-tempo and edgy KPop territory, really embodying that girl crush vibe. It is a pleasant sound, but nothing new….. that is, until the chorus explodes, with full on rock guitars, powering us through with uptempo energy. The chorus gallops with earnest pace, sending listeners into a frenzied spin, turning our initial expectations completely on their head and bringing us a hugely addictive hook in the meantime. The chorus concedes to a more EDM/trap post-chorus – another completely unexpected twist in this mindmeld of genres. This trap addition probably doesn’t add a lot in terms of the whole architecture of the song (and is maybe a little distracting), but I quite like how ambitious the total arrangement is. Over the top of this bombastic, but impressive, arrangement are some clear and stable vocals, and unique rap tones – with each member providing stable and refined deliveries. It really is rather impressive for a group that hasn’t debuted yet.
In my opinion, RBW are going from strength to strength and absolutely killing it at the moment. I remember the early days, after they merged with WA Entertainment, when RBW were still growing steadily with VROMANCE and MAMAMOO (and also Basick and Phantom etc), but now, all of their groups are seen as having a very specific and well-rounded standard. The skill and success that the agency has developed over the years in producing groups has meant that this new group are ready to burst onto the scene with incredibly high quality and a truly polished, but just as experimental, sound. It fills me with so much joy and excitement to hear this pre-debut track, because it definitely has got me hooked, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how PURPLE KISS grow and develop over their rookie years. Very exciting times ahead.
NB: PURPLE KISS is a seven-member group, however member Swan was unable to participate in this pre-debut single due to a health-related hiatus.
Jei's Kulture Notes 
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