Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
With Fantagio Entertainment laser-focused on Astro, it feels like Weki Meki have often been tossed by the wayside. This is despite a strong discography with a few big highlights. It’s been over a year since their last comeback, which might as well be a lifetime in K-pop standards. Last year’s “Cool” was well-titled, establishing a fashionable dance sound for the girls. In comparison, new single “Siesta“ is a much more straightforward club track.
I should absolutely love this song. After all, I enjoy dance music that maintains or builds its energy all the way through. The straightforward drive of “Siesta” is refreshing, and I definitely appreciate its insistent pulse of percussion. Unfortunately, the songwriting approaches ‘cloying’ territory for me. While the verses feel generic and lack a strong melody, I’m onboard with their gradual climb to the chorus. The girls sound great and the performance crackles with energy.
However, I’m not a fan of the chorus at all. The melody feels repetitive and borderline obnoxious, through no fault of the group themselves. It’s just one of those times where a hook leaves me completely cold. Part of this is due to the English lyrics, which contrast in an odd way. I don’t get the connection with a ‘siesta’ and ‘fireworks’, and the phrase “boom boom fireworks” feels overly juvenile for a group as cool as Weki Meki. Add this to a melody that’s structured more like a scream than a surge and you’ve got a totally competent track that just doesn’t connect with me. Then again, I never loved most of IZ*ONE’s later work for similar reasons, so I fully admit musical bias here (even more than normal!).
