Release Date: August 4, 2017
Tracklist:
- Love Me Love Me
- Island
- Love Me Love Me (Instrumental)
Total Runtime: 00:06:56
Recommended for: Those who appreciate the finer things in life; they might as well have excellent taste in music
NOT Recommended for: Everyone else and debbie downers who are sick of tropical house
2017 has been a great year for Winner. They delivered the smash hit “Really Really”, which is also the only boy group song to cross 1 million downloads this year. They have proven that a long hiatus does not have to hamper one’s popularity, as long as hard work and good music are put into the equation. Now with their second comeback this year, will they continue to peak both musically and commercially?
Track Review:
- Love Me Love Me
Right off the bat, Love Me Love Me provides strong vocal performances. Even though the rappers do not get to shine as much as I would have liked, they still add to the interesting arrangement of the song. KSY and Jinwoo’s vocal tones are to die for, especially Seung-yoon whose rock-ish tone always adds wonderful versatility to Winner’s tracks. Mino and Hoon provide interesting diversions, which do not take away from the overall tone of the song. Rather, they add a new layer of diversity.
The music video is quite simple, yet has a very pleasing aesthetic. One thing I love about Winner is that they know their strengths and do not push choreography or unnecessary additions. The lack of dancing in this track makes it even more unique as there are fewer things to worry about. The song is given full attention here, but there are a few shots (such as love emojis) that exemplify the message of the song.
Winner blew me away with Really Really a few month back and I was excited to see that they were sticking to the same sound. Although I personally do not enjoy Love Me Love Me as much, it is still excellently produced and continues to push the group to new musical heights.
2. Island
Island is closer to Really Really in terms of composition and genre. While some might have been worried that the tropical house influences would be a bit repetitive, this song is quite fresh and enjoyable. The rap here is absolutely fantastic, and it is about time Hoon got the respect he deserves! The vocal line shines here as well especially Seung-yoon whose vocal tone always stands out.
Perhaps the best thing about this track is the chorus. Like Really Really it relies on a repeated hook that does not try too hard to be catchy. The musical arrangement is glorious here and emphasizes on the group’s strengths.
The music video has to be among the best released this summer. Not only is it relevant to the overall theme of the song, but it is aesthetically pleasing without trying too hard. YG seems to have found a good director especially with BlackPink’s and Winner’s latest releases and it shows. The styling is also quite nice and complements the member’s different visual charms.
Overall, this is one strong release. It is not doing as well as the other title track, but it absolutely deserves to. Winner has far exceeded expectations – yet again might I add – and it is about time they got credit.
