Wonder Girls – ‘Reboot’ Album Review

This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.

After a three-year hiatus, the Wonder Girls made a return as a four-member act with their third studio album, Reboot. Reboot symbolizes an entirely new version of Wonder Girls not just in the member line-up changes, but also in pivoting them from a idol pop group to a band of true musicians. The girls wrote, composed, and produced the majority of the album. Reboot showcases versatility within the 80s retro music scene, a style all too familiar to the Wonder Girls. Ranked as Billboard’s no.1 Kpop album of the year, Reboot has a cohesive synthpop theme that flaunts the talents of these young women.

Track 1 – Baby Don’t Play

Full of retro synths and classic 80’s pop aura, Reboot opens with Baby Don’t Play. Yenny participated in the creation of this track. Baby Don’t Play is a sweet, groovy tune that has a steady beat that is complemented by Wonder Girl’s strong vocals. The girls are asking a guy not to play games with their emotions.

Track 2 – Candle

Candle picks up the tempo with lyrics written by Lim. The track keeps up the 80s new wave music techniques with a twitchy low-pitched synthesizer beat and choppy guitars. The lyrics are a bit suggestive which I think is appropriate for their age group. The simplicity of the chorus is endearing and works well with the backtrack.

Track 3 – I Feel You

JYP composed and produced I Feel You himself with Yubin participating in the composition of the raps in this title track. I Feel You is a rare and unique freestyle song, a form of electronic dance music full of colorful rhythms. The song’s visual style and music concept is refreshing to see in Kpop. Retro bands are not a common thing, especially among idol girl groups.

Track 4 – Rewind

With a bit of a gloomy and nostalgic feel, Rewind is up next. This is a mid-tempo retro pop song full of 80’s analog synthesizers. The delivery and tone in the girl’s voices reflect the ambience of the track. Yubin displayed a soft and rougher rap style in this track which was nice to hear. Sunmi and Yubin helped write the lyrics for Rewind which talks about going back in time with a lover.

Track 5 – Loved

Loved picks the pace up again and maintains the strong synth beats that have been a main staple of the album so far. What differentiates this track, however, is that it has more of a robotic feel and sounds rougher with strong synth bass and dreamy guitar riffs. All of the distorted lo-fi embellishments in the instrumental mask some of the vocals. I would have liked it to be a little softer to showcase the lyrics and vocal capabilities of the Wonder Girls more.

Track 6 – John Doe

John Doe is a dance pop number full of sass and delivers more of a Latin vibe with a fast tempo. The groovy bass, lighthearted horns, and bouncy keyboards complement the vocal and rap rhythms nicely. The lyrics are fun and clever where the girls talk about a stranger finding them attractive and charming.

Track 7 – One Black Night

With a frantic and sensual beat, One Black Night is a brilliant blend of 80’s pop and contemporary indie dance. Written by Yenny, the lyrics are about getting lost in an [alcohol] bottle and going wild. There is an English hook sung by Yubin that helps explain the feel of the song and is executed well rhythmically. I find the crooning vocals particularly charming.

Track 8 – Back

Back is surely going back to an 80’s old school hip hop expression. The rap style is one that was very prevalent when hip hop and rap were first becoming popular. This track is fun but extremely cheesy. Yubin undoubtedly shines in this with her rap flow. Her presence and delivery are believable full of radiating confident.

Track 9 – Oppa (오빠)

Dropping some of the heavy synths, Oppa adds a new dimension to Reboot. The Wonder Girls are talking about rebelling against their boyfriends because they want to go out and dance all night. This track is very playful and seems relatable for many girls. The music takes a turn into an 80’s future retro style, making Oppa sound a bit more modern compared to other songs on Reboot.

Track 10 – 사랑이 떠나려 할 때 (Faded Love)

Trying to figure out what went wrong in a relationship, Faded Love changes the vibe of the album to be more bluesy. This song is more of a sentimental ballad but it brings the prominent synths back to add more groove. The laid-back and airy vocals help put the listener in a daze that most people can relate to when they’re trying to figure something out.

Track 11 – 없어 (Gone)

Dawning a slower tempo, Gone is an R&B slow jam with synth washes and drums. The girls talk about a lover leaving them for another woman. I can feel the emotions and pain in the vocal delivery which makes the song impressionable. The lyrics are sung like it’s spoken during the hook, but still shows off Wonder Girls’ vocal range. Gone is very rhythmic and full of amazing harmonies and gorgeous melodies. Yubin’s sticky rap also fits perfectly with the mood of the track.

Track 12 – 이 순간 (At This Moment)

Closing out the album with a pop ballad, At This Moment is stripped down and let Wonder Girls show their vocal talents more organically. The melody of the song is very pretty and shows a vocal range I wasn’t aware of in the Wonder Girls. The girls sing beautifully about cherishing the good times in a relationship instead of dwelling on the bad.

What Do You Think?

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