REVIEW | iKON Treats Fans With Extra Single “고무줄다리기 (Rubber Band)”

Release Date: March 5th, 2018

TRACKLIST

1. 고무줄다리기 (Rubber Band)

Total Runtime: 00:03:17

Recommended For: Those who enjoyed iKON’s Return album, fans of unique and lively mid-tempo tracks

NOT Recommended For: Those who dislike less powerful songs, those who weren’t too interested in Return

After the release of their second studio album Return, iKON are back again to treat us with a new single – Rubber Band!

Compared to Love Scenario, Rubber Band is a bit more experimental with its instrumental. The highlight of this track is definitely the instrumentation, the use of synths, bright percussion, and rhythmic clapping towards the end of the track makes for a sound unique within itself. It’s charming and light-hearted, and the vocal and rap delivery from the members work nicely with the vibe of the song.

Similar to Love Scenario, Rubber Band also has an accumulation of group vocals near the end. This is a great way to bring up the energy of the track without divulging too much from the original tone. The chorus is one of the best parts of the song, with the lyrics “paengpaenghan gomujul, geu kkeucheul jabgo nunchiman boneun jung” continuously getting stuck in my head.

The lyrics to Rubber Band relate the feelings of a relationship on the verge of breaking up to a rubber band about to snap. This concept is a great utilization of wordplay, and while the subject matter might seem quite unhappy, the way these themes are presented creates a lively dynamic between the lyrics and instrumental.

While Rubber Band does not have an official MV, iKON has graced us with a dance practice. The song’s choreography skillfully makes use of the many members in iKON and is full of high-spirits, matching perfectly with the playful feel of the track.

This single would’ve been a perfect fit on Return, and Rubber Band is able to easily deliver experimentation without sacrificing quality. It works great as a standalone single, and if you enjoyed Return, you’re going to love this track!