Review: ONEWE - Rain to Be

This has been the month of K-Bands. When I have the time, I certainly will have to write a review for at least one of the b-sides on N.Flying's album, review some Lucy, and a b-side from ONEWE's mini. And at the same time, the next week is going to be really busy for me. Thus, I am using some free time to quickly write a review.

ONEWE have always been a talented band, let down by material that only was 'good'. That said, Rain to Be is a moment where they really knock it out of the park. Lyrically, it is a reflection of loss, using rain as a harbinger of love. It is slightly reminiscent of Infinite's The Chaser in that it is hopeful. At the same time, it gives moments that show the denial of the situation. Young, rebellious youth in love now lost is a classic theme, and ONEWE's Kanghyun and CyA (with Jeon Dawoon) have written it quite well.

Musically, Rain to Be thrives on its dark and moody atmosphere. The mood is built efficiently, dark, sad, and hopeful at doom. The verses build on this atmosphere with a slow, building energy with a ballad-esque tempo. The vocal performance is hopeful yet gritty, and the melody reminds me of SS501's classic Love Ya, which is high praise. The Spanish guitar is really the icing on top here.

The chorus, however, is the true heart of the song. It ups the tempo, yet keeps the sense of drama. In a way, it is very similar to the second generation of K-Pop. The drums here create a constant for the performance to build on. The 'Nanana' refrain, along with the guitar creates a great pairing for the song. The diverse vocals and instrumental create a great build.

The second verse is more of the same, just better. The piano solo is the best moment here. After another stand-out chorus, we get an excellent rap verse. It utilizes autotune and effects to create a dark moment, but edgy at the same time. After the old-school rap, we get a guitar riff driving the song forward.

The final chorus does up the instrumental a bit, but not enough. Still, it is good enough to satisfy. That, along with the MV builds an excellent world, one that I will certainly come back to time and time again.

Rating: 9.25/10

Image Source: Hallyure