Song Review: Hyolyn – You And I

As always, it’s a Sistar summer, with groupmates Hyolyn and Soyou releasing new singles within a day of each other. Both ladies have delived summer classics on their own, yet nothing will ever compare to their incredible group work. Lately, Hyolyn has taken a more subdued approach to the season, relying on softer sounds to paint a summer mood.

Any musical trend can wear out its welcome if it’s repeated for long enough. Such is the case with Afrobeats — a style that has been employed by just about every K-pop idol you can imagine. Hyolyn seems to love the sound, as this isn’t the first time she’s tried it on for size. Last year’s Wait was a forgettable exercise in the genre and I fear You And I may suffer the same fate.

Here’s the thing: Hyolyn has one of my favorite voices in K-pop. I would gladly listen to her sing anything, so I can’t complain too much about You And I. However, I wish the song did more than paint a pleasant vibe. It’s a nice bit of groove, but there’s not enough going on to really draw me in. And with such a short running time, it feels like a wisp of a song — gone before you know it. I know she’ll probably never return to the refreshing summer heat of a great Duble Sidekick banger, but with a track record as awesome as hers it’s hard to see You And I as anything but a footnote.

Grade: C