Review: The Boyz - Drink It

This month has been one of the strangest yet. A long list of K-Pop comebacks on June 31 and July 1 before the industry goes quiet. English releases appearing in spurts, while lacking quality, Indian music continues being quiet, at least as quality goes. Japan has lost its incredible momentum quite quickly. Thus, I really have been lacking releases to review. Thankfully, I chose this month to begin my slowdown voluntarily, for the lack of releases would have forced my hand had I not.

That said, one song that I want to talk about is the new Universe single by The Boyz, Drink It. Drink It is not perfect, but it has the two things this month has truly lacked ambition and atmosphere.

Drink It sounds extremely Halloween-esque, with a haunting atmosphere, almost an attempt to flee from a haunting beast, just walking towards you. While the excellent second verse raps and the post-chorus lack this vibe, it thrives in the chorus. It is loud and staturing, almost like what a more trendy version of VIXX would do. That said, I really don't like the post-chorus for once. I see the need for a post-chorus here to blur the line between the verses and choruses, but this one just fails to get its job done. It feels repetitive, and out-of-place with the song's story. A better solution would be to play amplified instrumentation of the chorus's first phase again. It would not be perfect, but an improvement at the very least.

Another thing I have already noted is the intense second verse rap. The rappers provide an incredible performance, even if it does not totally fit with the 'flee for your lives' vibe the chorus gives. The rest of the verses keep the atmosphere intact.

Brilliantly, the bridge fits this ambitious atmosphere into its drive, with several ad-libs, and an electrifying guitar to close things up for the incredible final chorus. It all feels like how the song should end, without sacrificing the vibe.

Drink It is not perfect, but it is the best Universe single yet, and a highlight in a really sleepy month.

Rating: 8.5/10

Image Source: Meaww