Buried Treasure: ILLIT – Oops!

A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

When listening to ILLIT’s new mini album, I kept hearing shades of my favorite girl groups from past generations. The songs never quite matched that nostalgia, restrained by many of this generation’s most frustrating tropes. However, brief shots of interest were enough to keep me engaged throughout and make this my favorite ILLIT EP so far.

While I’m not sure I would rate any one track particularly high, there’s a nice sense of “8.25” running consistently throughout the project. I’m the type of listener who generally prefers a couple big standouts surrounded by filler over a steady stream of decently fine songs, but beggars can’t be choosers in this music economy.

This is all an odd way to introduce my buried treasure today, but I felt I had to give context for why I didn’t rate Oops! higher despite enjoying it. I feel like ILLIT could have promoted any song from the Do The Dance / Jellyous / Oops! triptych. Each has their strengths and their weaknesses. In Oops’s case, the song’s biggest boon is its upbeat groove. As with most ILLIT songs, the melodies are simple and repetitive, but the insistent rhythm keeps the track aloft. If artists must opt for a sing-talk approach, this is the way to do it. It’s light, funky and well-positioned for summertime playlists.

Grade: B