TENACITY

SF9

For those of you outside of the K-pop scene, boybands and girlbands dominate the music scene, as opposed to America where these kinds of groups are somewhat of a rarity. SF9 is a class-act Korean pop boyband, which stands for Sensational Feeling Nine.

              Since its debut in 2016, SF9 has entered a second act of sorts, now making more mature, reflective music. That’s not to say their new album TENACITY doesn’t have the odd club banger in there, such as “Mr. Bang Bang,” but for the most part they go for a more R&B approach. In the lead single, “Without Wings,” SF9 likens themselves to “bird[s] without wings,” perhaps suggesting a more worldly, grounded outlook on their part. The song “REAL FROM THE FAKE” contains this lyric, “Don’t believe in everything they put in your face,” which once again reflects a nuanced worldview. “REAL FROM THE FAKE” is a highlight track and one well-worth spending time with.

              The band feels stronger than it has ever been at this point, and they do indeed have tenacity. I’m genuinely interested in seeing where this band goes, because this album suggests both a clear point of view and path forward. The sophisticated late-night beats of this album are sure to have the added benefit of re-listenability.