Song Reviews:: Hearts2Hearts: The Chase- The Chase

• Release date: 2025 February 24

• Album tracklist: The Chase, Butterflies

• Album runtime: 6 minutes

 I still think it was a wasted opportunity not to have them debut on Valentine's Day with a group name like that, but what do I know? I have no control over marketing of any kind. I also have no control over when the idols debut, because this one has their maknae at the ripe age of fourteen. She's practically an nonagenarian. But, with some less opinionated facts, Hearts2Hearts is an eight member girl group that has debuted under SM entertainment, which is the second largest girl group they've debuted after Girls' Generation. What has become the group called Hearts2Hearts was originally slated to debut in August 2023 (checks maknae's age again, hopefully she's a new addition), but had several debut delays resulting in the debut date they now enjoy. One benefit of doing a debut review so late is that I can add that they've had an apparently successful debut, so congrats to them for that, and that they're apparently being pitted against KiiiKiii, which is ridiculous. The two groups should actually become best friends, as that would be adorable and probably healthy for them to have industry friends outside their respective companies with similar age spreads and similar debut dates (almost exactly a month apart.) I'm reminded of the cluster of 2012 debuts, with B.A.P, NU'EST, BTOB, EXO, and VIXX, which all debuted in the first half of the year and I don't know why they're all in all capitals for their names, but it is what it is. Those groups, from what I can tell from their interactions assuming there is some reality to what was recorded, seem to be pretty close to each other. I'd like to see something similar with these two, rather than trying to make them appear to be enemies and rather than having the fans fight each other. Let the fans be besties too. Give the fandoms a cute ship name because they have such a reputation for supporting each other.

So we've got the lovely water echo going on. I still need to learn exactly what the term for that is, but for now, that's an apt description. The instrumentals are solid and reliable, without a lot of variation. When we do get variation, it happens mostly when it vanishes to allow the vocals to stand on their own, or mostly on their own. It's a very easy-listening sort of track which is generally not where my preferences lie.

And speaking of easy-listening, we get the same thing with their vocals. And that, dear reader, is a crying shame, because wow they have some voices on them. Imagine, for a minute, if they got something similar to Girls' Generation Into the New World, where you actually get a good range of dynamics and pitches, instead of the milquetoast trend. Or a key change! That would be new and exciting. SM, they've clearly got the vocals. Let them flex. Don't give them a solid b-side, following the trend kind of song for their debut. 

Okay. So good news. We don't get a performance video-esque music video. We also don't get a full visuals and vibes music video. So two points in it's favor. The blue tint vaguely over the entire thing is also a point because of the oft repeated line about blue ink, so that makes it thematically appropriate. And, there is a teeny bit of a storyline. It has something to do with going on a journey. It doesn't get any bonus points from me for a substantial storyline, saturation, or thought-provoking-ness, but it matches the song well and is very well made.