Review: Ninety One - Abuse

One project that I am intensely anticipating for later this year is the imminent Ninety One full-length album on the cards. While I don't think it has been officially announced, their impressive list of recent singles, and demos, with even an intro and outro, certainly suggests an album is in the cards. While nothing has yet reached the height of their first album's Mooz (a perfect Kazakh track if there ever was one), there have been some highlights to note, particularly Darn and Qiyalaman. While Abuse isn't as catchy as the aforementioned tracks, it is one of the quartet's most emotional songs in ages.

Abuse is on exactly what one thinks it will be on. With a new team of songwriters, and with Ninety One themselves producing, the song tackles abuse and violence. Obviously, this is a very serious subject to tackle, but Juz Entertainment's team seems to have done well, portraying a nuanced yet broken picture of any relationship lying emotionally tarnished. The chorus has a line that proclaims "I sense feeling in your eyes, but I see no mercy in them". Ninety One acknowledges they are not perfect, but notes that this is not love, and that the abuser must stop.

With such a serious subject, Abuse is understandably understated, relying on a hip-hop trap beat to flow through the entire song. This is a welcome turn for Ninety One, returning them to their routes. Don't get me wrong, I love their recent, more pop-oriented singles, but Ninety One's bread-and-butter has always been emotive hip-hop. In many ways, it is hard not to compare them to K-Pop legends Bigbang. Both are boy bands that often write their own music with charismatic rappers, that succeeded in both emotive hip-hop and aggressive hype tracks. Ninety One and Juz Entertainment seem to know this, as some stylistic choices this comeback seem to recall Bigbang purposefully. I don't see Abuse leaving me as emotional as Katyadan, but it does surprisingly well, with ornate guitars and strings dotting the landscape over the languid and painful hook.

Ninety One are experienced when it comes to songs like this, and all members show what they are made of. My only real fault with Abuse is its abrupt ending. I understand that could be conceptual, but it really feels like a minute was left out of this song. Nonetheless, this is a decent release from Kazakhstan's premier boy bands.

Rating: 8.25/10

Image Source: Tengri News