THROWBACK #17: LOVELYZ- CANDY JELLY LOVE

Released: November 17th, 2014

When I look back at the song's title, I finally just realized how strange the name is, but that's not going to stop me from singing "Candy Jelly Love" out loud, because it is a magnificent track. Lovelyz, in their 6th year now, has built a steady platform around the bubblegum pop genre, and no other song was more responsible for its ignition than their debut single Candy Jelly Love. This synth-kissed production may be a little bit too much on the cutesy side for some, but Candy Jelly Love flows very nicely from beginning to end with a couple of twists here and there.

Youthful and vibrant is the best way to describe Candy Jelly Love all-around, as its energy emitted is contagious. The song starts off slow at the beginning, but takes its time to introduce the dreamy synths and allow the vocals to let off a little bit of steam. By the time the pre-chorus hits though, everything takes off and never looks back from there, as I find myself bopping to the ridiculously-infectious beat. The melody here is also just as addicting, kicking in high notes along with progressing synth chords to keep the intensity moving forward. It's almost breathtaking to hear, but you got to remember, this is only just the pre-chorus. The transition and the modulation of the chorus is beautifully done! Just when it felt like the chorus couldn't keep up the same amount of energy without sounding repetitive, the modulation was a really smart thing to do, as it puts the song into immediate new territory with a refreshing melody. It never sounds old or over-used at all, and to my delight, the melody continues to extend with a post-chorus that seamlessly changes the vocals' rhythm, allowing us to appreciate the gorgeous instrumental even more. Although I liked the vocal performance in the bridge, it didn't quite fit in with all the other song sections; I wished they brought the epic pre-chorus back in some kind of variation for one last time.

For Lovelyz, this was only the beginning of the journey; they continued to release countless bops within the genre and slowly but surely found their reign in the thrones of K-Pop. Many of those bops came close to toping out Candy Jelly Love, but Candy Jelly Love will always be my favorite Lovelyz song. It's a wonderful track that matures very nicely throughout and hits the sweet spot at the right time, while prolonging it even more.

RATING: 7.7/10