On the album cowl for Kep1er’s ‘Lovestruck!’, two rose gold heart-shaped padlocks are interlaced, engraved with cherry crimson pawprints. The subject material being unpacked by the Ok-pop woman group is evident as day: ‘Lovestruck!’ forthrightly offers with issues of the guts. The rookie eight-piece croon of idyllic pet love, fabled fairytale endings and vertigo-inducing romance. For all intents and functions of this album, love is actually all sunshine and rainbows.
Though their spirited exploration into these age-old motifs is decidedly not the primary of its sort, Kep1er do make a worthy effort. The place their third mini-album ‘Troubleshooter’ – led by the polarising title monitor ‘We Contemporary’ – struggled to carve out a singular sound for the group, ‘Lovestruck!’ brings their discography again on monitor with the jubilant, bubblegum-tinted aptitude they execute finest.
But, they handle to seek out house to combine issues up on title monitor ‘Giddy’, a glossy, bass-driven pop anthem paying homage to a handful of Ok-pop’s largest hits in 2022. ‘Giddy’ avoids being too acquainted, with its association providing one thing new every verse. It additionally does what a title monitor ought to do: it features a barebones hook designed to creep up on you. Although, this “disco-punk” opener doesn’t provoke past that.
Regardless of its comparatively run-of-the-mill title monitor, ‘Lovestruck!’ begins to point out its playing cards the second you give its B-sides an opportunity. ‘Again To The Metropolis’ – a robust candidate for finest monitor on the album – is a panoramic tackle the nu-disco wave, peppered with ‘80s-influenced synths. Right here they sing of moon-bathed nights within the metropolis, metropolitan lights illuminating the night time like constellations, with the lyrics to ‘Again To The Metropolis’ being much more adventurous and inventive in narrative than we’ve seen from the group
‘Why’ follows proper after, first dipping into a delicate, decrease vocal register, earlier than hovering into lovelorn cadences as they sing of “waves in my coronary heart” and “unanswered questions”. It’s a lightweight and soothing hear – and does a lot to spotlight the group’s vocal tones and harmonisation capacity – although largely forgettable.
In the meantime, ‘LVLY’ is well essentially the most unimpressive of the 5 tracks on ‘Lovestruck!’. Right here, Kep1er pull influences from Latin and reggaeton soundscapes and vampily sing a siren’s tune of irresistible attraction, however in the end fail to comprehensively seize the trademark attract and power of the style.
The album’s resplendent nearer ‘Glad Ending’ is its most groovy and welcoming, with chic vocal performances from the Kep1er. It eloquently breezes by intimate vignettes of an individual holding themselves again from crossing the edge between friendship and love affair, glazing the album with the basic feeling of being totally and hopelessly lovestruck.
‘Lovestruck!’ makes a case for permitting love – principally the beautiful components – to clean over you and asks us to have a look at life by rose-tinted glasses. Why dwell on heartbreak when there may be a lot extra to like that must be celebrated? It’s not a completely distinctive standpoint, however then once more, it doesn’t should be. As an alternative, Kep1er look comfy to proceed laying the groundwork for his or her breezy and joyful sound, carving a snug area of interest for themselves within the aggressive panorama of Ok-pop.
Particulars
- Launch date: April 10, 2023
- File label: Swing Leisure, WAKEONE
