Song Review: Wild Heart by LUN8

LUN8 is fantiago’s new boy group since ASTRO. Having loved a lot of ASTRO’s music, especially from their earlier years, I eyed the group with some mild expectations. Additionally, one of the contestants from I-Land, Noh Sungchul, was previously announced as a member, so there was another factor that made me quite interested. Even so, I was not expecting the whiplash I would get from listening to their debut song. It might be a bit of an overreaction, but this is easily the best boy group debut song of the year, and it won’t be easily topped.

One of the main reasons why it is so strong is because of its very well-written chorus. It spans a wide vocal range, making it feel textured and interesting. Its melodic intervals hit all the right spots. It is instantly memorable, a trait that many songs struggle to be these days. It is easily one of the best choruses I’ve heard in K-pop the whole year.

Second, its production sounds nuanced and carefully thought-of. It uses the necessary samples, vocal mixing, and rhythm to achieve its desired effects. Cowboy concept? Whistling sample check. Anthemic sound? Throw in the rock guitars. It simply got it all right. It hit me like a water-fall at first listen, and I’d gladly drown to listen to it again and again.

If anything, it is clear that technical strength of the group’s vocalists are unable to fully match up with song, especially in the last section of the chorus, where vocal strain becomes somewhat evident. However, sometimes, conviction can take you surprisingly far because I did not feel overly critical of it when I first listened to it and only noticed when I try and pick the song apart. However, it isn’t to a point where it ruins the song for me, so I don’t think it is worth dwelling over too much.

Overall, Wild Heart was a convincing debut that successfully caught my interest for the group for the months to come.

Hooks – 10
Production – 10
Vocal Delivery – 9
Overall – 9.5