Song Review:: BABYMONSTER: SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA

• Release date: 2026 June 08

• Album tracklist: SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA

• Album runtime: 3 minutes

 I'm pretty sure that this is not a pre-release, but if it is, then I'll make sure to update this accordingly. We are on Underage Protocol until next February, and then I'l actually be able to dig into their discography. I've heard some things about some of their b-sides that make me think I'll really like them, but I can't until Chiquita is eighteen. Unless someone wants to drop their debut song or a b-side or two into The Form. But at least it's three minutes long, or close enough.

There is some really interesting synthwork going on in the instrumental, which is a good thing because this kind of instrumental is all too easy to make entirely monotonous by relying only on the various beats in the song to support the vocals, but then not actually doing anything with the instrumental to give it a personality. Again, they didn't do that, so color me surprised but pleasantly so. We also get some audience participation clapping during what I assume is the bridge, which even though it's just another beat, it's such a different flavor that it works.

Ah. It's an acronym. Clever. There's a lot of rapping here, and a lot of it is either muted in delivery or it's that sing-song that people like to adopt when they're trying to be cool. Key word is "trying". Unfortunately, in both versions, it feels inauthentic and somewhat flimsy, like they're putting on an affectation. Now, having said that, one of them, maybe two, has a rap that perked up my ears and that felt real. And I wanted to acknowledge that even if I can't go into more detail or ell you which member she is. But it's there, and I liked it. The vocalists have too short of parts for my liking, but it is what it is.

There's a lot of black-and-white in the costuming, and also a lot of muted colors in largely colorless or otherwise washed out sets. But. They do have lime green (matching the lyrics of the song, which is good) as part of one of their outfit sets. It could be worse. Gentle reminder that two of them are seventeen.