Several years after debuting as a soloist, former-LOONA member and actress/variety star Chuu has released her first full album. Full albums are meaningful for K-pop artists for a number of reasons, allowing them to craft a larger body of work and usually proving some level of longevity. Title track XO, My Cyberlove gives listeners the first taste of the project.
As with many (many!) current releases, the overall sound is a soft mix of quirky and subdued. Chuu’s voice has an appealing lightness and the song itself echoes this charm. It’s wispy, gentle and dulled of any possible edge. In another world, its percussion could be refashioned into a more resounding synthwave beat, but the production here opts to stay mainly in the background. On the plus side, this shines more focus on Chuu herself. However, it also makes for a pretty boring piece of music.
I feel a strange sensation when listening to XO, My Cyberlove. It’s as if I’m hearing the song from a neighboring room, detached and not quite fully formed. It’s atmospheric rather than tangible, which paints a vibe but fails to pull me into that vibe. Chuu has such star power in so many of the avenues she pursues, so I’m confounded by why the actual music would be this sleepy and uneventful.
Hooks
8
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7.25
Grade: C
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