CURRENT #5: SUHO- LET'S LOVE

Released: March 30th, 2020

Next up we look at EXO leader Suho's first comeback as a soloist, with his title track Let's Love. I haven't been keeping track of who exactly in EXO has had solo albums so far, but I would still listen to Lay's Monodrama here and then. From what I've heard, most of the members' solo projects have been R&D ballads, which has been very interesting, considering how diverse EXO's discography has been. Let's Love continues to follow this trend, putting Suho on the map, but fails to break any new ground.

The song mainly composes of acoustic and rock guitar riffs, steered by a drum set, with some piano as the bass. The intro lively showcases these instruments, and I wished there were more opportunities to hear alternations of that rich melody, like a solo guitar part in the bridge or after the chorus. The verses demonstrate rising action with the acoustic guitar followed by the addition of the rock guitar in the background, complimenting well with the distinctly elevation of Suho's vocals. As expected, the chorus puts on those same vocals on full blast, allowing them to fully shine and at the right moment. Unfortunately that's pretty much it. The bridge features a slight variation of the rock guitar melody, but otherwise the bridge and final chorus are lumped together. That's why I really wished we could have gotten an instrumental solo, a part where Suho can harmonize along with. The transitions between sections are very brief, and they could have been the perfect opportunity to introduce those solos and enrich the song even more. Vocal-wise, I think the singing and the instruments are well balanced, where none takes away the spotlight from the other. The vocals deliver in the parts that need them the most.

Overall, the song is a pretty average effort, but I am appeased by the instruments used in this production. As the EXO members start to enlist 1-by-1, it'll be interesting to see how all the other members will handle their solo projects, and see how much of the composition deviates away from that of their rich discography of number 1 chart-bopping singles.

RATING: 7.15/10