Review: Rocket Punch - Chiquita

2022 has been a strong year musically so far, but K-Pop really is developing slowly. Minus the utterly fantastic Dilemma by Apink, there has not been much to write home about just yet. While Rocket Punch's Chiquita is far from perfect, it is easily an early year highlight.

Rocket Punch's discography so far can best be described as "scattershot". Up until mid-2021, they seemed to have no set sound, concept, or image, despite a roughly girly and summery vibe emitting from their songs. After last year's Ring Ring and Ride, it seems they have opted for '80s synth-pop as their new sound. While it is hard to know if that will last, Chiquita builds on this to provide the sextet's best song yet.

Chiquita's first verse is entrenched in typical K-Pop girl group material. Nothing here is particularly unique, though it does recall strong second-generation 'cutesy' girl group K-Pop. Rocket Punch's vocals are not unique or interesting, but they add just enough 'pizazz' to stand out. The lyrics are the general "I wanna be different and I am different" stuff everyone does, at least they are no lyrically disastrous outliers The real standout here is the outstanding production. The bass is gritty but far from overpowering, while the synthline is gorgeous. All the elements are here for a piece of Kara-esque dance-pop, and it takes the chorus to reach this.

If anyone has seen Chiquita's teasers and snippets prior to release, you likely had heard the powerful synth riff waves crashing into the instrumentation boldly and brightly. It was very fresh and instantly stuck inside your head. I earnestly was hoping this was just one of many diverse refrains, but instead, it is the chorus. Nonetheless, the refrain is strong enough to stand as a centerpiece in its own right, and as part of this track.

Rocket Punch's members are not traditionally strong vocalists, but they attack the track head front with a level of youthful charm and intensity that makes it hard not to instantly groove along with the ever-expanding instrumental. The airy ad-lib assisting the members is fantastic, providing just enough for the song.

From this point, Chiquita refuses to devolve to the chaos of the first verse, instead, it builds off the intensity of the chorus. The result is fantastic, with the budding bass and improved hooks standing strong. This all leads to the chorus, which sounds even better with the improved build, flowing with additional intensity.

The bridge samples the dark Vocaloid sample seen in Luna's Madonna and Yezi's Anck Su Namum, and surprisingly works well with the song's neon synth palette. After an out-of-place rap, the song explodes once again with its chorus, now updated with additional hooks acting as a coda. Some of the hooks feel like they belong in a middle eight, but their mere addition is strong.

Chiquita is not perfect, but it does so much right it is hard not to get sucked into the refrain's euphoria. The chorus is joyous, and one of the best pieces of pure synth-pop this year.

Rating: 9/10

Image Source: Hello Kpop