K-pop trio Triple H’s 'Retro Futurism' is catchy, but not a chart-topper [Review]
The K-pop stars have tried to capture the spirit of 90s hip hop with their second release, but it falls short of the mark
Last year, Hui and E’Dawn, from boy band Pentagon, and K-pop princess HyunA formed supergroup Triple H, and released an EP titled 365 Fresh. Fast forward a year, and the trio are back with their second instalment, Retro Futurism, a short four-track EP which tries to modernise the early 90s era of hip hop.
Lead and (sort-of) title track Retro Future is the EP’s centrepiece, pairing the funky overtones of Prince with a sample of hip hop classic The Message. It may not be particularly futuristic-sounding, but it will certainly get any party going.
Show Me follows Retro Future’s lead, with more big hip hop beat and funky sparkle-synth vibes that add pizzazz. This track is certainly more K-pop oriented, with an unexpected jazz piano solo and sweet vocal approach.
Despite all these positives, opener Feel is a contender for being one of the worst songs of the year so far. It has the danceable nature of Bruno Mars, and guitar bends and metallic R’n’B beats that should work – but the track is mixed badly, and each component jars with each other, hindering this EP from being a chart-topper.
Edited by Ginny Wong