On the album cover for Kep1er’s ‘Lovestruck!’, two rose gold heart-shaped padlocks are interlaced, engraved with cherry red pawprints. The subject matter being unpacked by the K-pop girl group is clear as day: ‘Lovestruck!’ forthrightly deals with matters of the heart. The rookie nine-piece croon of idyllic puppy love, fabled fairytale endings and vertigo-inducing romance. For all intents and purposes of this album, love is in fact all sunshine and rainbows.
Although their spirited exploration into these age-old motifs is decidedly not the first of its kind, Kep1er do make a worthy effort. Where their third mini-album ‘Troubleshooter’ – led by the polarising title track ‘We Fresh’ – struggled to carve out a unique sound for the group, ‘Lovestruck!’ brings their discography back on track with the jubilant, bubblegum-tinted flair they execute best.
Yet, they manage to find space to mix things up on title track ‘Giddy’, a sleek, bass-driven pop anthem reminiscent of a handful of K-pop’s biggest hits in 2022. ‘Giddy’ avoids being too familiar, with its arrangement offering something new each verse. It also does what a title track should do: it includes a barebones hook designed to creep up on you. Though, this “disco-punk” opener doesn’t provoke beyond that.
Despite its comparatively run-of-the-mill title track, ‘Lovestruck!’ begins to show its cards the moment you give its B-sides a chance. ‘Back To The City’ – a strong candidate for best track on the album – is a panoramic take on the nu-disco wave, peppered with ‘80s-influenced synths. Here they sing of moon-bathed nights in the city, metropolitan lights illuminating the night like constellations, with the lyrics to ‘Back To The City’ being a lot more adventurous and creative in narrative than we’ve seen from the group
‘Why’ follows right after, first dipping into a gentle, lower vocal register, before soaring into lovelorn cadences as they sing of “waves in my heart” and “unanswered questions”. It’s a light and soothing listen – and does much to highlight the group’s vocal tones and harmonisation ability – though largely forgettable.
Meanwhile, ‘LVLY’ is easily the most unimpressive of the five tracks on ‘Lovestruck!’. Here, Kep1er pull influences from Latin and reggaeton soundscapes and vampily sing a siren’s song of irresistible attraction, but ultimately fail to comprehensively capture the trademark allure and energy of the genre.
The album’s resplendent closer ‘Happy Ending’ is its most groovy and inviting, with sublime vocal performances from the Kep1er. It eloquently breezes through intimate vignettes of a person holding themselves back from crossing the threshold between friendship and love affair, glazing the album with the classic feeling of being utterly and hopelessly lovestruck.
‘Lovestruck!’ makes a case for allowing love – mostly the pretty parts – to wash over you and asks us to look at life through rose-tinted glasses. Why dwell on heartbreak when there is so much more to love that should be celebrated? It’s not an entirely unique point of view, but then again, it doesn’t have to be. Instead, Kep1er look comfortable to continue laying the groundwork for their breezy and joyful sound, carving a comfortable niche for themselves in the competitive landscape of K-pop.
