As one of the oldest active girl groups in the K-pop scene, Red Velvet have made a name for themselves. Since their debut in 2014, the group has made headlines. The members— Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri— have all had various activities outside of the group (and music) in the past three years since the release of their last album, ‘The Reve Festival’ Finale.
Though they’ve released an EP between their past ReVe Festival installment and now, many fans were underwhelmed at the simplicity of the songs because one of the selling points of Red Velvet as a group is their ability to master whatever genre of music they attempt.
‘The ReVe Festival 2022- Feel My Rhythm’— the group’s newest installment to their ReVe Festival series— marks their first release of 2022, and perhaps some of their best songs.
Feel My Rhythm
Before the release of the EP, the group teased the concept of this release to be classical, following themes of ballet and classy undertones. ‘Feel My Rhythm’ starts off with a very classical and uplifting sound, but soon transitions to deliver the powerful vocal abilities of the members with a trap beat underlying the harmonious string orchestration.
Joy’s vocals especially stand out in this track. Though all the members specialize in vocal ability, she proves how essential her voice is to giving Red Velvet’s music the ‘sound’ that their fans expect.
Overall, the song is beautiful. The rap sections and bridge flow into the rest of the song well, never losing the whimsical aura and nothing feels like it shouldn’t be there. This title track shows just how Red Velvet has been able to survive and thrive even 8 years after debut.
The other songs from this EP that should be highlighted are ‘BAMBOLEO’ and ‘Good, Bad, Ugly’.
BAMBOLEO
The recent trend of retro sounds in K-pop makes itself known in this track. The light and airy vocals accompanied with synths make for a perfect combination of retro and modern.
‘BAMBOLEO’ is the song that sticks with you no matter how long it’s been since the first listen. The vibe of the song makes listeners feel almost as if gravity has been shut off and they’re among the clouds, enjoying the story the lyrics paint.
Amongst Red Velvet’s extensive and impressive discography, ‘BAMBOLEO’ will stand the test of time and cement its place as one of the group’s best songs.
Good, Bad, Ugly
To those attuned to soul influence in music, ‘Good, Bad, Ugly’ is the song to listen to. The ad libs are meticulous and elevate the song just that much. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this song is a video.
The song follows the lyrics with its playful tone but never loses the artistic value that comes with good production. The production feels especially elevated, though it is most likely due in part to the evolution of the member’s vocal abilities from their debut to now.
‘The ReVe Festival 2022- Feel My Rhythm’ EP is a beautiful piece of work that shows how Red Velvet has evolved as a group and in their style. As promotions for the title track begin, one can only hope that the members pour their hearts into music show performances and give the songs due justice for the work of art that it is.
For those wondering whether or not Red Velvet’s time is coming to an end, ‘Feel My Rhythm’ is clear proof that the group is still going strong and doesn’t plan to let go of their hold on the K-pop scene anytime soon.
