I don’t know if I will ever understand how K-Pop groups do it. Ampers&One had maybe been back to Korea for a week and a half before they started promoting a new mini album, Wild & Free, that was set to release in just a couple of weeks! We’re talking middle of March to April 8th. When did they have time to prepare anything?!
Seriously. I caught them live barely a week into their tour and they were not skimping on anything with the performance. Nor with the fan interaction bits! Perhaps I just can’t comprehend how much time they spend learning the songs and choreography before they get presented to the world. Who knows how many times the tour routine was rehearsed before I finally saw it with my own eyes. But still. Of all the things I’ve seen, even some of the members’ hair color was different in that amount of time! That means the music video for their lead single, “Kick Start” couldn’t have been filmed before they came to the US. I may never know.
And of course they’ve been busy in the lead up to the album’s release last week and since then, too. I can’t tell you how many versions of “Kick Start” I watched at this point, but I can tell you that I’m not sick of it yet. And like with most of the K-Pop I’ve consumed on this year plus journey, I’d be surprised if I ever do. What struck me about this particular “comeback” is how different it sounds from anything else Ampers&One had released yet. Granted, I know they are still very early into their career, but still. I think it would be hard to essentially reinvent yourself so many times in such a short span.
At a first listen, “Kick Start” had an odd flow. Add that to the cat-themed music video and I wasn’t sure how to feel when it was over. To be fair, as a cat lady, I loved the cat stuff. I knew I needed to hear the song again, and as I worked my way through performance, practice, and live videos of it, I was singing it non-stop. I knew those guys would give me another hit, it just took my old ass brain a second to come around. I suppose if I were to compare this particular track to any of their other releases, “Broken Heart” would probably be the closest. It’s a more dark and gritty attitude overall compared to say, “Sweet & Sour” or “Someday.”
Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long at all to get my hands on the physical album. I showed great restraint in only getting one copy of it and also not buying that same version again when I learned signed copies were available. Adulting is hard sometimes. Like most mini albums, Wild & Free had six tracks to it, but I found that I really liked it the second time around. Of course, certain tracks pop the first time. Aside from the single, “I Know You” really caught my attention with the whispering in the beginning. It also sounded like something that could play in a teen horror film.
The rest of the album felt to me more like a vocal showcase for the group. I don’t know who’s singing in the very beginning of “My Mistake,” but it sounded really cool and unlike anything else I’ve heard from them before. The rap verses here were also really strong. “Who Are You” proves that Siyun has the PRETIEST voice and I could listen to him sing all day (and yeah, he might be my bias, but who cares?!). Finally, “WYD” really let’s Jiho shine. I’d never really felt like he had too memorable of vocals. Yes, he sounds good and is super reliable, but none of his parts ever really stick with me. Here. his voice just really seems to compliment this style of song.
Overall, I’m really happy with this new mini album and I know I’ll be listening to it again and again, much like the rest of their discography. I’m sure I’ll be writing about these guys again later this year, and likely catch them on another tour whenever they come to the States again. Here’s hoping!