Big Ocean debuted back in 2024 as K-pop’s first hard of hearing group. I’ve never covered their music before, but teasers for new single One Man Army caught my eye. I’ll always be up for some good old-fashioned drama in K-pop, and this song seemed to promise a whole theater show. The actual song is a bit less ambitious than I’d like, but still easily the best thing released today.
One Man Army employs a strings-assisted stomp to suggest bigness. The song is too leaden to truly soar, but it’s trussed up by enough bombast to keep things interesting. In this way, it reminds me of Chaser’s debut last month, which has actually grown on me since release. The guys do a nice job with it, their voices front and center for maximum effect. What’s really missing is a sense of spontaneous life. Songs like this have clearly been programmed and perfected to death on a computer and would actually benefit from the thrilling imperfections of human-played instruments. Still, I appreciate that the group has expanded their sonic playground. I’m curious how far they can take this style.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8
Grade: B-
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