KiiiKiii’s debut year had a somewhat confused sonic landscape, pivoting between quirky sub-genres and meme culture to broad pop brushstrokes that felt more generic. Judging by pre-release Delulu and new title track 404 (New Era), they seem to have regained their focus in 2026 by pivoting toward the dancefloor.
404 (New Era) arrives bolstered by a tried-and-true production team. The guys from LDN Noise worked on the song, and they’re responsible for some of K-pop’s greatest mid-2010s dance hits. Their 90s-influenced club sound is in full effect here, giving the girls a strutting beat to vogue over. Everything about the track leans into nostalgia. However, as important as the beat is, when you think of those great LDN Noise songs of past eras (View, 4 Walls, Lucky One, Dumb Dumb) you also instantly hear their great choruses. This — predictably — is where 404 (New Era) struggles.
As far as spoken word centerpieces go, this one is certainly on the stronger side. The hook here is delivered with charisma and a rhythm befitting the song’s energetic production. But minus an airy pre-chorus, the track is almost entirely spoken. In an alternate K-pop landscape where this wasn’t the go-to for so many girl groups, the approach would probably be quite charming. But in a post-Whiplash world, I long for the type of melody that makes music timeless. Because of its approach, I fear 404 (New Era) will act as fast fashion — enjoyable in the moment but becoming more threadbare with time.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
7
Bias
8
RATING
8
Grade: B-
Tags: review, kpop, k-pop, rating 8, starship, kiiikiii. Bookmark the permalink.