Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Such is the selling power of BTS that they don’t even have to rap or sing on a track to make waves. Heize’s new single was co-written/produced by Suga, and her agency wants you to know it. This isn’t to say that Heize needs much help in the promotion department. Her idiosyncratic voice and smooth r&b has proven to be a preferred match to Korean listeners’ taste. Her music routinely shoots to the top of the charts, making her an undeniable ‘it girl’ of the moment.
But when it comes to artists like Heize, I sometimes feel like an outsider looking in. I like her music just fine, but its chill, singer-songwriter nature was never designed with my pop-loving tastes in mind. So, even when a Heize single genuinely clicks with me, there tends to be an upper limit on how high I can honestly rate it. This is the case with “We Don’t Talk Together“, which is pleasant if relatively uneventful.
On the production side of things, “We Don’t Talk Together” has an appealing throwback vibe, opening with a retro synth line that instantly conjures memories of 90’s hip-hop. The rest of the track is more modern, bopping on an elastic beat before the instrumental slows for a harmony-rich pre-chorus. Heize’s vocals sound more polished than usual here, though her distinctive tone still sticks out.
Rapper Giriboy comes in for an extended feature during verse two, and does a solid job. I wonder why they didn’t just have Suga be the guest artist, though? Melodically, “We Don’t Talk Together” builds to an airy chorus that effortlessly blends cool aloofness with catchy, chart-friendly hooks. This will be ubiquitous over the next few months, and it’s not totally undeserving of that attention.
