Song Review: XLOV – Rizz

XLOV’s genderless concept is so welcome in K-pop and makes me want to support the group wholeheartedly, but I’ve struggled with the disconnect between their image and their music. This summer’s 1&Only became a sleeper hit for me, but even then the song felt much too straightforward for XLOV’s ambitions.

Sadly, new single Rizz is a step back. The title alone had my spidey sense tingling, as this kind of slang rarely points to a timeless song. And sadly, that word pretty much forms Rizz‘s entire chorus. The bulk of the track is composed of a highly repetitive hook that doesn’t modulate. The execution is melodically flat, targeting the same few notes over and over. Coupled with a sparse trap beat, the product feels utterly skeletal. They’re staking their entire claim on one or two pieces of melody. If neither appeals to you, you’re out of luck.

At two minutes and twenty one seconds, the song seems to know the limits of its ideas. In this way, the short running time is a boon. Any longer and Rizz might tilt over into full irritation. As it stands, the song feels more like an interlude within XLOV’s frustratingly mid discography. I can tell they have a string of musical classics in them just waiting for the right producer to harness. This potential only makes Rizz more frustrating.

Grade: C-