BSIDE Spotlight #1: GFRIEND- LOVE IN THE AIR

Album: Sunny Summer Released: July 19th, 2018

B-side spotlight is a special feature where I want to highlight specific album tracks that did not make it to title track status, but have the qualities to do so. Almost all of these spotlight tracks are just as good, if not even better than the album's title track, and so I want to give it the attention it deserves.

I wanted to review a G-Friend title track very very soon, but I couldn't decide which one. At the same time, I've also been listening to a lot of their album tracks just as much as their main singles, which I will definitely mention later in the future. In the meantime though, I want to express my love for one of them that easily stood out from the others. To briefly summarize, Love In the Air is total pop-perfection with a twist of symphony instruments. As a sucker for musical instruments, I am constantly amazed at the creative use of them with today's genres and productions. Love In the Air takes us back to the 90s, but regardless of the decade, it's such a feel-good song that will have you beaming with happiness and bopping with joy. To me, it is probably the best album track I have ever listened to in my lifetime so far.

Love In the Air incorporates many of my favorite musical elements, but I can't help but talk about those chord progressions driven by the violin, my goodness! It is used extensively, but has its presence totally felt in the chorus, especially in the second half; vocal-wise it is insanely catchy and the soaring violin chords give it that extra touch to lift it gracefully back to the "Its love in the love in the" main hook. I absolutely love the chorus, but I also enjoy the verses just as much. I think the idea to keep the violin instant but loud in the verses was brilliant. Its shrill sound is a nice contrast with the low octave notes of the girls, and it prevents the song's energy from dipping. The retro-electro sounds and the chimes right after are a very nice touch, reminding us again the song is built with the 90s structure in mind, before elegantly carrying us to the magnificent chorus. Later on, we are blessed with something that is totally G-Friend-like; the dance break! The descending violin notes are infectious along with the beat, and it begs for hip-hop choreography to be done. Things calm down at the interlude, but only briefly, before Yuju explodes with her high note and we hear one more "Love In the Air" hook for the last time.

I've never thought the strings could make a tune feel so lighthearted and carefree, but Love In the Air is one of those special songs where everything just sounds so positive. Every transition between sections is done so well, and the overall production is airy and vibrant, but still full of youthful energy. Today's productions are getting more and more complex by the day, but sometimes it's just nice to go back to the basics, and there's nothing wrong with borrowing influences from a decade that was full of vigor, while putting on a slight twist with a particular instrument. That is why I consider Love In the Air to be one of the greatest singles of all time.

RATING: 8.0/10