Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Last month’s “Love & Live“ promotions finally felt like a step toward proper debut for the girls of LOONA. It’s not that the sub-unit were incredibly original or commercially lucrative, but it was the first time I got a sense of the endgame this project is working towards. With “Everyday I Love You“, we’re back to hearing from one of the upcoming group’s members. This month it’s Vivi, given an assist by Haseul, whose track was unveiled back in December.
As novel as this one-member-per-month concept is, none of the girls in LOONA have been markedly different from another when it comes to overall style. Yes, the songs have dabbled in different genres, but it feels like each member is well-rounded enough to successfully tackle a range of concepts. This is a plus when it comes to forming a group, but without a drastically different vocal tone or performance style, the overall success month-to-month rests almost entirely on the song itself. Fortunately, “Everyday I Love You” is one of the strongest entries we’ve heard from LOONA.
The song’s ethereal synths and galloping dance beat go retro in the best way. There’s a hazy filter over the entire track, which works well alongside Vivi’s airy, layered vocals. Rather than go big with showstopping moments, everything about the song feels restrained. This might sound like a bad thing, but the approach gives “Everyday I Love You” a classic, nostalgic appeal. Its wistful, melodic charm sneaks up on you, and when the electric guitar enters the fray at the song’s climax, you suddenly realize just how euphoric the whole thing has been. The track actually reminds me a lot of Pristin’s pre-release last summer, which did an equally impressive job conveying this same feeling.
