Truth be told, this was a release that was on my radar for a long time, and in fact I have only had the chance to look over. The lead single ‘Red Moon’ grew on me and I wanted to know what else the co-ed group had to offer. Released in February, it has seen relatively good success, peaking at number 10 on the South Korean Gaon chart. However, it sold just over a third as many units as their debut EP ‘Hola Hola’, jeopardising the group’s longevity.
The EP kicks off with ‘Go Baby’, which appears to be an attempt to revive the Reggae inspired sound that they debuted with. If anything, it aims to show the world that KARD still has “it”, and that they are flexing a creative muscle when dabbling in other genres. It is possibly the strongest track on Red Moon, but it simultaneously feels like a re-hashing of previously successful entries, rather than something more memorable.
The title track and lead single ‘Red Moon’ follows suit, and drops the reggaeton sound and introduces us to the bass-heavy EDM beats that will take over from here on out. If we could have a party right now, this would be the track for it. It’s catchy, it’s fun and it’s easy to dance to. It is followed by the equally upbeat ‘Enemy’ and ‘Inferno’. The songs are fun, but they’re also forgettable, as they cannot upstage ‘Red Moon’.
Finally, the previously released ‘Dumb Litty’ has found its place as the final song on the EP. When it was initially released, it sounded highly unlike anything KARD had previously released. In this respect, it was a brave venture into a sound that seemingly many fans could not follow them on. But here, it marks the embracing of a new style that is here to stay for the time being, for better or for worse.
Watch the music video for Red Moon below!
