Gosh, you guys. I was already a Red Velvet fan but this mini-album takes the cake.

“Power Up” is the best iteration of the Red Velvet summer sound so far.

With the exception of “Ice Cream Cake” and “Dumb Dumb,” I’ve never been overly fond of Red Velvet’s red tracks (the pop-influenced ones typically released in the summer). I find “Red Flavor” to be a cringey, “Rookie” is unfinished (but somewhat redeemed in “Cookie Jar“), “Happiness” is meh, and “Russian Roulette” doesn’t do their vocals justice.

That stops with “Power Up.” The video features their typical bright, pop-art aesthetic mixed with weird, disquieting effects (another reason I love RV). It’s supposed to be a video game, but I’m intrigued by the decision to go with claymation-style augmentation instead of 8-bit.

I like how RV often builds and expands on their own concepts, especially with the continuation of weird fruits from the “Red Flavor” video last summer.

But what I really appreciate about “Power Up” is the chord progression and the harmonies. Red Velvet always brings it with the vocals, but the chord progression on this one goes to such unexpected places that I can’t help but love it. A little bit frantic and melancholic, yet with great energy and optimism.  My kind of girls.

The rest of the mini-album is also quite lovely.

“Mr. E” is an expanded version of “Zoo” that I like much better. It’s a more complex, subtle song. (Which, when I put it like that, OF COURSE I like it better. I’m not a huge fan of blatant and bold.)

“Mosquito” is really fun, and the vocals on “Blue Lemonade” are fantastic.

I’m not a huge fan of the English version of “Bad Boy,” although I can appreciate why they recorded one. The rhythm of the lyrics worked so well in Korean that I hate to see that change. But so it goes, and SM is feeling out the American market.

Overall it’s a fun album to listen to. It’s upbeat without being overly peppy. Red Velvet’s creepy and/or dangerous side prevents the summer pop from listing over into anything to saccharine. That’s where last summer’s release failed, in my ears, so I’m glad that they’ve corrected to a happy balance this summer.

 

Edit: I listened to the English version of “Bad Boy” a few more times today, and I’ve revised my opinion. What the English version lacks in rhythm, it makes up for in wordplay.