Since breaking out a couple of years ago, LE SSERAFIM has been a force in the K-Pop music industry. They have become one of the biggest girl groups in K-Pop, asserting themselves as one of the leaders of the new generation in the genre. LE SSERAFIM consists of five members, Chaewon, Yunjin(or Jen), Sakura, Kazuha, and Eunchae; each of them individually contributes something significant to the group, and they all play their roles perfectly. Whether it is Chaewon’s fierce attitude and leadership, Yunjin’s extremely impressive and rangey vocals, Sakura’s charm and magnetism, or Kazuha and Eunchae’s excellent dancing skills(both Kazuha and Eunchae are excellent at dancing in individual ways, with Kazuha’s fluidity coming from having extensive ballet training and with Eunchae being a Hip Hop dance master), every one of these ladies brings something special to the table. LE SSERAFIM debuted in May of 2022 with their debut EP Fearless(by the way, LE SSERAFIM is an anagram for the phrase “I’m Fearless,” while also referencing the angelic creatures called seraphims). The group followed this project up with a second EP called Antifragile, which spawned the very popular single of the same name. LE SSERAFIM released their first album, Unforgiven, in May of 2023. This album went number one in Korea and reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It contained two very popular singles, the title track(’Unforgiven’) and ‘Eve, Psyche, & the Bluebeard’s Wife; both of these singles went viral on TikTok. LE SSERAFIM closed out 2023 with arguably their most popular single yet, a promotional track for Valorant called ‘Perfect Night.’ LE SSERAFIM Is now ready to capitalize on their huge 2023 with a new EP called EASY. Here is how I feel about this new project from LE SSERAFIM. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from EASY, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
LE SSERAFIM gets this project going with ‘Good Bones,’ a song with a sound I definitely would not have expected from them. I know they have put out Rock-infused music in the past, but this track has a gritty and tough tone that goes way beyond what they have done in the past. ‘Good Bones’ feels like the kind of track that would play during the opening scene of a movie about teenage angst and rebellion. This instrumental for this one is simple yet hard-hitting. It is driven by a fairly aggressive Punk guitar riff over a fast Punk drum beat. There is some distortion on the melody and drums, making them feel tough. The verses of this track are delivered in a manner that feels like spoken word, really making the track feel like 1980s Punk. The hook on this song, which is shouted, is so catchy, and I can imagine it would be awesome to see performed. This is such a cool track and serves as an excellent opener. ‘EASY’ slows things down and chills things out. This song has a bubbly and charming synth-driven melody that is put over a pretty typical Pop-Trap beat. It has the kind of breezy, atmospheric sound that I would expect to hear from Doja Cat. To be honest, the vocals do not stand out a ton to me on ‘EASY.’ The vocal performances are not bad, but I feel like they could be more dynamic. I would have appreciated some higher notes or a switch-up in flow to make the song a bit more invigorating. ‘EASY’ is not a bad track, though, and fans of this kind of music will probably appreciate it a lot. I just feel like it could have been a bit stronger. ‘Swan Song’ is another track with a very laid-back sound. The song is driven by a simple and sweet guitar riff complemented by chime-like sound effects and various synths. The beat for this one has a Pop-Rock tempo that is reminiscent of the late 2000s. Unlike ‘EASY,’ ‘Swan Song’ has very rangey and zestful vocals. I love the way the higher-pitched vocals from Sakura and Kazuha contrast the lower pitches of Yunjin, Chaewon, and Eunchae on this one. ‘Swan Song’ also has a variety of flows in the vocals, giving the song a bit more liveliness. ‘Swan Song’ is relaxed and peppy at the same time, which I appreciate.
‘Smart’ is a song that brings the energy back up, which is appreciated after the more easygoing feeling of the last two tracks. This song feels inspired by the Dance music of Africa(which is a theme that has been becoming more and more prevalent in Pop music in general for years). I have seen people online saying that this song reminds them too much of ‘Water’ by Tyla, but I just do not see it. I guess they both do have quick AfroPop beats and bright and sunny piano-driven melodies, but a lot of great AfroPop music has this general theme. Tyla herself said she digs it, so I think people should chill out. Regardless of the controversy, this song is so memorable and enjoyable. All the vocal performances are great. Similar to ‘Swan Song,’ the different ranges and pitches of all the members are great. ‘Smart’ is a highlight from this project for me, and I could see it creeping up as a sleeper hit in the coming months on TikTok or Instagram. LE SSERAFIM closes EASY out on an energetic and bouncy note with the track ‘We got so much.’ This track has a retro feeling to it that I appreciate a lot. It has a Y2K Pop and R&B feeling to it, and songs with that kind of sound always draw me in because it is what I grew up with. The melody and beat for this one are spunky and straightforward, but also a bit understated. This is definitely a positive, as the vocal performance on ‘We got so much’ is the best on the record. I really love the high notes that are hit throughout this track, as they give the song so much passion. ‘We got so much’ is a super strong way to end this EP, as it sends EASY off on a joyous note.
Now, unfortunately, a lot of the opinions I have seen online so far about EASY are pretty negative, and I do not entirely understand why. Yeah, this EP does not have the most imaginative or risky project, but it is full of fun, high-quality tracks. I know there are some people that wanted a bit more vigorous vocal performances, but I feel like the vocal performances on this project are good for the kinds of instrumentals that are here. In my opinion, there is a lot to love on EASY. For one, it shows the eclecticism of the group. Each song is very different, proving there is no type of music LE SSERAFIM can’t make. These songs are not necessarily high-octane or eccentric, but they are still entertaining. I honestly think the public perception of this project will improve with time as people come to see that it is more than solid for what it is. EASY is a pleasant and affable release from LE SSERAFIM, and it continues their momentum as one of the rising forces in K-Pop.
EAST SIDE VIBES 