CURRENT #31: WJSN (COSMIC GIRLS)- BUTTERFLY

Released: June 9th, 2020

Title tracks and concept photos can be quite deceiving. WJSN's latest comeback pictures seemed reminiscent of the fantasy ideologies from their past singles Save Me Save You and Dreams Come True. Even the innocent title name Butterfly suggested a return to the innocent image from their early debut days. So when I heard snippets of their new song from the teaser, my jaw immediately dropped. The instant their guitar-kissed Boogie Up crossed my mind, that's when I remember that it's June, when WJSN likes to party real hard.

Like Boogie Up, Butterfly starts slow, but soon speeds up the tempo later in the first verse, when a shower of some strong vocals lines up with the change in the beat. The guitar and some sound effects from the synthesizer beautifully shape up the verse's harmony but the melody of the vocals is a little bit underwhelming, sounding monotonic-like in some spots. Those flaws spill over into the pre-chorus, where the melody repeats a couple of times, stalling Butterfly's potential for a bit. That is, until we hear the very last 3 notes sung.

If you were dying to hear SOME influences from Butterfly's concept in the song itself, the next section is it. The rock guitar replaces the electric guitar to deliver an impressive chord progression throughout the entire chorus, but the introduction of the piano in the harmony really brings back the nostalgic WJSN that I know and love. Both of these components along with the splendid vocal layers compliment each other to deliver a chorus that truly packs a punch. A small detail that I like includes that catchy descending synthesizer melody between the phrases. The second half of the song eliminates the guitar and elects for more use of the synthesizer in the pre-chorus to bump up the song's momentum heading to the next chorus section. I was hoping for a little more variety in the instrumental melody in the bridge, but I like the gradual transition to the final chorus section.

WJSN has always put out strong intact choruses in their last couple of singles or so, even in the vocal-less Boogie Up, and Butterfly is no exception. This time around however, I thought everything else in between the choruses was nothing impactful, and could have used a bigger window of instrumental ranges. A wider variety of vocal notes and melodies in the beginning would really knock Butterfly out of the park. Nevertheless, Butterfly is still a worthy addition to their treasured discography.

RATING: 7.4/10