_{Review by Kayla (@kaylazomboid)}

Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT hit the public consciousness with their reimagined version of the infamous ‘Tokyo Drift’ (originally by Teriyaki Boyz). The track came off their debut album Gather which dropped in January this year. Since then, ONE OR EIGHT have been building a following and now they are back with their second full length release EN:GÏNE .

Keeping up with their motorhead thematics, the EP kicks off with the 42 second intro ‘V8’ before launching into their previously released single, ‘Yankee Squat’. For those not in the know, the word Yankee in this context alludes to the Japanese term Yanki, which is a subculture in the band that is commonly associated with more a rebellious, “delinquent” style. The song embodies that kind of flashy, cocky personality. Flashing cash, being individuals and doing what the hell they want, the anti-thesis of what is commonly acceptable. There is a strong latin-groove in this track, giving it that almost mid-00s club banger feel. It is a perfectly, anthemic lead single.

Following on is ‘Translate’, that continues the braggadocious lyricism being thrown down in the previous song. The opening lines, “when I step on stage, there is no need to translate” comes across as a real flex. Giving the energy that what they are doing is transcending culture and linguistic barriers, that what they are bringing to the stage is undeniable no matter where they are in the world. Sonically, it does have less of a typical J-Pop feel and a sound is a bit more synonymous with the current K-Pop trends. That being said, it is really more a reflection of global pop trends. It hits hard, not reinventing the wheel, but it does the job.

Now, ‘I<3It’ is more of the style I was hoping for from ONE OR EIGHT. It has a fast, more EDM feel that tops into some hiphop textures, but also draws from a more distorted, grungier noise music style. It has that arcade, driving style vibe that reflects the group’s unique colour. The hard beats at the start, following in with the break beat I feel is something we are going to hear really pick up in modern pop again. The modulated bell, which I do believe comes from something like a gamelan that you may recognise from songs like ‘Tokyo Drift’ or even in just a lot more phonk style tracks also makes an appearance. All in all, it just scratches my brain in the right way.

‘Monster’ is an interesting song in a lot of ways, but at the same time it is kind of unmemorable. I would be curious to see the choreography of this song, because it kind of has that sort of SM Entertainment gimmicky nature to it. A track where the song is average, but when it is performed, you can’t help but get a little soft spot for it. The underlying beat is fun, but again, it is pretty basic and I almost want to say a little dated. Not in a cool vintage/throwback kind of way.

By the time I’ve hit the final song, I feel like I’ve just stumbled upon ONE OR EIGHT experimenting with what kind of group they want to be. The final song ‘INVINCIBLE’ is a nice song. It has that lovestruck, melancholic soft pop rock vibe, with a tinge of yearning. It is very 2020’s pop style and if anything, it really does highlight the group’s voices. It’s cute and I do like the way it builds, the chorus before it hits the real crescendo of the track after the rap is so nice. It adds another layer to the group’s identity, which will be needed as they continue on in their careers.

Overall EN:GÏNE  shows what ONE OR EIGHT can do. Versatility in their sound is something they are able to do, but it also really highlights what their actually strengths are. When it comes to style they are known for, ‘Yankee Squat’ and ‘I<3 It’ feel very much more aligned with the group’s sound and identity. The EP is not very cohesive, but it has a bit of everything packed into only a few songs.

Rating: 7.5/10

EN-GÏNE Track List:

1. V8
2. YANKEE SQUAT
3. TRANSLATE
4. I<3 IT
5. MONSTER
6. INVINCIBLE

EN-GÏNE by ONE OR EIGHT is available on all platforms now. Stream the EP HERE.