The music video for XG’s not-quite-new single Is This Love was delayed to enhance high quality, solely to have followers calling out its use of AI transitions. I don’t actually have a horse on this race so I’ll bow out of the controversy, however I’m all the time within the music. To date, XG have swerved between hip-hop, dance and R&B. Is This Love matches inside the latter class, providing their tackle present lady group developments.
I do know readers are so uninterested in this comparability (and I’m sorry!), however Is This Love looks like a extra strong model of what NewJeans have been doing final yr — notably with the sugary How Candy. The perky, polished beat has its roots firmly within the early 2000’s when R&B was at its glossiest and most business. There are numerous nice songs of that period that make use of related manufacturing and Is This Love in the end makes me need to return and hearken to these.
To XG’s credit score, they buoy Is This Love with loads of power. The steadiness between rap and vocals is efficient and the refrain — whereas very repetitive — has a pleasant lilt that fits the bouncy manufacturing. The track stays constant all through, crafting a pleasing haze that may be ultimate on a division retailer procuring soundtrack. Whether or not that’s reward of criticism will depend on your style. For me, it lands someplace between the 2.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Manufacturing | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-