LE SSERAFIM Pridefully Kicks Back on 3rd Mini Album “EASY” — Review
When you have a presently successful group that gains two back to back viral hits from an album b-side and a promotional song for a video game, what’s the next best direction to take? According to LE SSERAFIM, it’s time to take it easy.
When any artist gains an upswing in attention from a smash song, the following course of action tends to be a new release that mimics the heart of what made it so beloved. Continuously reaching new heights with “Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard’s wife” then “Perfect Night,” LE SSERAFIM could have come out with an uptempo sensation to carry on their streak — instead, they released a succinct mini album of five mid-tempo tracks that genre-hop from one another.
While fans of the group are familiar with their chameleon-esque discography that touches diverse sounds, the 3rd mini album EASY still finds new territory. Trademark points like a commanding spoken introduction interlude, closing fan song, and rougher sketches of lovely, danceable, and high-spirited songs apart of the tracklist are still apart of the new project’s foundation — but this time they pull a 180 from their lively powerful image to opt for a laid back confidence. The relaxed self-assured quality is a running thread through the rock, contemporary hip-hop, warm jazz, amapiano/afrobeats, and synth pop inspired individual tracks. Although there is the disheartening petite length of each track being under 3 minutes and the EP striking in at under 15 minutes long in total, EASY contains pleasant multitudes for the group who have reached the revelatory point of success where they’ve learned that leaning into ease and out of survival mode is the most powerful form of triumph.
To start us off is the signature LE SSERAFIM style intro, titled “Good Bones.” Straightforwardly, it has the same overflowing, dominating tenacity as their other multilingual spoken interludes, but I’m still a sucker for its hype nature. Once again, I am hankering for these interludes to be turned into their own songs! “Good Bones” in particular makes me flabbergasted that it’s not a song of its own. The dirty racing guitar riff and revving high whirl synth give this track an exhilarating vibe that makes it feel like it could feature in a Fast & Furious movie. The live drum set featuring that main pumping bass drum and cymbal clashing also adds to a sense of rowdiness. The highlight that makes me really crave for a whole song is the refrain — a feisty, somewhat messy delivery of the phrase: “Easy, crazy, hot, I can make it” — building in staining intensity by the members. I could take a dark roasted shot of that refrain every morning and be set for the day.
The title track “EASY” is a completely fresh composition compared to their previous pattern of title tracks, but also for the group. Their usual hype empowering singles are exchanged for a mild paced, heavily hip-hop inspired beat and a haughty attitude encased in autotuned casual vocals. Their persona on this song elicits a more provocative allure with the biting attitude and smooth charisma dripping from their voices alongside edgy production.
There’s an underlying murkiness from the compressed, padded oscillated beat and glitchy intro — setting up the air of cryptic intimidation. Despite the easy-going melody of the chorus, it ends up with a domineering energy from the drill-like pattern of thundering 808 bass slams along the fast trail of ticking hi-hats, a few pangs of a trap snare, plus the electronic vocals that give off a cool hubris and jutting creaky synth line and baby vox weaved in for melodic interest. The vocal refrain melody is simple but it does scratch that itch for a catchy loose melody — especially with the way they draw out the word ‘easy’ on that ending line. Bare claps transition the verses in, which are not too divergent from the laid-back chorus. Relaxed utterances are lined under a finely building production that takes the bass, chord pad, and snaps and adds a stronger rhythm with consecutive hi-hats, trap snares, and the staggered flutey melodic synth motif. The pre-chorus is a broody mirage, with some restrained percussive lines and zippy synths sunken down in it. Vocal ad-libs are also sprinkled throughout the song at the end of a couple lines to add some flair to the somewhat monotonous vocal lines. Although the song finishes early without any bridge, the final chorus does its best to smatter in more vocal ad-libs for an elevated wrap up. The outro suddenly circles all the way back to the intro, escaping back into a mysterious disappearing cloud.
I’m honestly a little surprised at how much of a mixed response I’ve seen this song receive — with most reasoning that the pace seems like a boring yet jarring shift. The significant diversion from their typical banging title tracks to a slower paced immersive sound is actually what makes it really refreshing for me. The easy listening experience of the song isn’t meant to amount to high tension — and for what it is, I really enjoy it. The tempo makes the production feel more indulgent and the enticing cockiness exuding from it is fun. The short length actually surprisingly doesn’t bother me either, as the song is not super dynamic and knows it by not dragging it on.
“Swan Song” is awarded a crown on its head for being the most ‘girlish’ song on the album; it makes me picture white ribbon bows and silver diamond jewelry, almost as if vintage coquette had a sound. The detail of the vinyl record crackle to open sets the atmosphere perfectly for the warm jazz toned guitar. The simple charming guitar riff gets the opening spotlight, then is beautifully interrupted by a magical glittering descending spiral. A modern kick then pushes the aforementioned production further in the background and a set of soft compressed drums gently helps cozy up the atmosphere. The vocals are at the forefront, airily sung with a softening reverb. The girls’ lovely vocals are a perfect matching set to the production — all together, it creates a very plushy, yet elegant room.
It’s another easy listening song like the title track, albeit completely opposite in terms of soundscape — in a smart dynamic way. It’s softer on all sides with the vintage-inspired feathery production, versus the prior toughened tracks. Again, there’s nothing overly complicated in here, but it knows what vibe it wants to portray and simply does it well. The guitar riff along with the vocal melodies over it is satisfying and there’s enough tiny variations through melodies and rhythm that it’s not completely lifeless, although still objectively a calm mid-tempo all throughout.
However, the lyrics to this song adds a layer of slight juxtaposing depth to the sweet sounding song. It continues the journey from “EASY,” but in a more intimate setting here. While “EASY” is a braggadocious song flexing their hard work, here they carry a power that harnesses a soothing elegance of healing in admittance of how the harsh journey left them achingly tender. Even though they have the grace of a swan now, the effects of the hardships are a part of them. This softness is also another strengthening resistance to be celebrated and the storyline puts the gentleness of the production in perspective, making you appreciate it more earnestly.
The next track “Smart” is where we really start moving further towards a lightheartedness in sound and attitude. The girls acknowledge that there is no turning back to the dark days now that they’ve experienced and learnt how to beat the odds against them. The sound matches this idea of a relaxed celebration where they get to dance lightly on their feet.
This song is quite derivative of the amapiano genre — which has been recently brought into a brighter light thanks to the viral “Water” by Tyla — with notable elements of afrobeats as well.
Characteristics of the genres are very recognizable — the most apparent inspiration being a dynamic afrobeat-esque drum rhythm pattern plus fitting catchy vocal melodies that simulate popular tracks. The decorations of sampled horn and shouty vox especially in the chorus really emphasize the celebratory, upbeat feel that comes naturally from the percussion. The amapiano influence comes in through the smooth house bass influence mixed in, with droplets of twirling piano keys and a pacifying synth chord pad.
I also really like the overall vocal composition on this track. There is a tinge of an electronic filter on the vocals that is the perfect amount for some added texture, rather than drowning in it. For the solo lines of the verses and pre-chorus it fits right in as its own instrument, but still in the layered vocals of the chorus it isn’t overwhelming and that whole section is so satisfying in tandem with the catchy melody.
The song is a wondrous smooth coasting ride that you don’t realize is over until it’s over. Quite honestly this song is really making me want to look more into the amapiano genre because of how much I’m realizing I love this sound. The balance of the delicateness from the synth pad and piano keys in parallel with the house bass and dance rhythm is really satisfying and addicting.
“We got so much” is the moderate bouncy synth closing fan song — or more objectively a peachy song about a loving connection. The exuberant resounding exclamation of “we got so much love” in the chorus is obviously the best part of the song with the way the group vocal layers on the word ‘love’ gorgeously flare out and feel like a flower opening up its colorful petals, finally blooming into the world — funnily enough matching some of the lyrics. Unfortunately, that single phrase is honestly the only part that is exciting. The stable bouncing bass line with the synth chord in between the kick, hi-hats, and hint of claves is fine, but feels tiresome. There are no interesting melodies to be heard either. When the bridge comes in, the rising aggressively strummed reverberating electric guitar and kick drum knocking on the left and right channels are cool features, but it honestly doesn’t really mesh into the song as a whole.
I love how as LE SSERAFIM as a group go further into their journey, they use new genres to explore their emotions — that kind of experimentation makes them one of the more exciting K-Pop groups right now to me. They straddle a precise line of trendy and risky. On this mini album specifically, I enjoy how they approach reaching a solid confidence and portraying it as being able to rest freely, rather than the more expected brash and hardened kind of powerful — as seen in their previous releases. I really enjoy the title track “EASY,” as well as the b-sides of the addictive “Smart” most and the darling “Swan Song.” I do have to say though, I am really starting to hanker for a longer project from them. I don’t think these songs here are suffering from the short length, but I would like to take a deeper look at what the girls could offer from a proper full-length venture.
For the brief mini album that it is, it offers an easy-going night with the girls. With a runtime so quick, the quality of songs are at a higher stake; in my opinion, the majority of the tracks reach the minimum of that expectation — good, but not exceedingly superb.
“Good Bones” — 3/5
“EASY” — 3.5/5
“Swan Song” — 3/5
“Smart” — 5/5
“We got so much” — 2/5
Album rating: 3/5