Song Review:: EVNNE: HOT MESS- HOT MESS

• Release date: 2025 February 10

• Album tracklist: HOT MESS, Birthday, Love Like That, CROWN, Youth, Keshiki - Korean Version

• Album runtime: 19 minutes

 This one is a little bit earlier than the ones that I've been doing recently, which makes me sad because I thought I was making progress and getting later in the month, instead of earlier. But it's fine. At this point, the entirety of the group is at least eighteen, the youngest actually turns nineteen this year, so that's good. Project group formed from Boys Planet trainees, including Keita! Which is exciting! I liked him! But the length of the title track? Really? What is this?

That beginning startled both me and my cat. Goodness.

This song is chock full of energy from start to finish, a veritable runaway train. But like. Also if the runaway train wasn't going at breakneck speed? It doesn't make me feel out of breath listening to it, in other words. There's also a lot going on with the various instruments, to create a little bit of a wall of sound. The slower sections have bursts to keep that energy propelled, and I could swear that one of the instruments being used is either a cowbell or the wooden block. Or both. It could be both. It's not quite as chaotic as I was hoping with a title like HOT MESS in all caps, you know? Certain expectations were set, and I don't think they were necessarily met. I'm reminded of Squid Game for some reason as well.

I think my favorite part of the song is the "heebie jeebies" part. First of all, a K-Pop group is using the phrase "heebie jeebies," and that's something that brings me so much joy, I cannot quite describe it. Second, the way the notes and the words are interacting with each other during that section. Softer? Yes. But not wimpy. They've got good voices. And this song just feels fun, fun for us and fun for them.

This music video is giving some strong second gen vibes. It's quirky. It's fun. It's a little bit of a bit of a hot mess, so thematically, it's appropriate. But, again, we see a lot fun happening. They're also in,  like, stop motion at one point, which is kind of hilarious. And the...I hesitate to call them outtakes at the end, but those were precious.