ME:I – MIRAI

Track Listing

1. Click
2. Sugar Bomb
3. &ME (ME:I Ver.) (Regular only)
4. CHOPPY CHOPPY (ME:I Ver.) (Regular only)

1. Click

Kind of was curious to tackle the leading song for this group’s debut and honestly, it’s curious because the song is Japanese but the arrangement and style just screams K-pop for sure.  It reminds me of like early TWICE releases as it’s sparkly and cute and bubbly of course. I will say for 11 members, I really enjoy most of the group’s vocals (with the slight exception to Cocoro and Rinon who kind of oddly stick out in the song to me.  Though I guess on the whole, the other 9 members kind of just gel together for me so their voices don’t quite have obvious personality behind them (except for Keiko who raps and the aforementioned oddballs).

2. Sugar Bomb 

As the main B-side, Sugar Bomb feels VERY much like a K-pop song with more of a syncopated sound and a cooler vibe compared to the cuteness out of “Click”…actually it kind of sounds like a NewJeans song to be honest.  I definitely liked the poppy energy of this one and while I feel the vocal colors are even dimmer in this one (they all kind of sing in a whispy, thin tone), I still found myself bopping my head to the rhythms and such.  That chorus though was pretty awesome though!

3. &ME (ME:I Ver.)

So the regular editions come with more tracks, both of them were used during PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS but were re-recorded with the final lineup (the winners).  I am SO happy that &ME was redone because besides “TOXIC”, this was the best song from the show itself and the touch-up and they did keep some of the original things like Tsuzumi’s ~butterfly~ lines which were so good.  &ME is definitely the group’s aggressive track for the single and it just is sooo good!  There’s just something cool about this one and some of the chanting parts definitely scream TWICE, but there’s a smidge of that anison style rolling in it.  Definitely the single’s best track!

4. CHOPPY CHOPPY (ME:I Ver.)

CHOPPY CHOPPY though wasn’t the best choice I would’ve gone with because sound-wise it kind of sticks out in an odd way.  I suppose it has an interesting arrangement being a bit electronic and somewhat overtly poppy and has a lot of little things going on in the song.  I will say the pre-chorus with the playful piano melody stuck out, but this song is pretty cutesy even moreso than “Click” was.  Maybe this will grow on me with more listens.

So it’s very curious to me just out of the blue now reviewing a new J-pop girl group out of the gates, but I am super happy that I can take on a PRODUCE 101 group such as ME:I here.  What truly got my attention is that Momona Kasahara (ex-ANGERME) is the leader of this group and kind of the main face (she pretty much dominated PRODUCE 101, so I find it amazing to see her here after leaving Hello! Project (as she was starting to blossom in the group honestly).  Anyways, MIRAI is a pretty decent single overall with a lot of backing and money behind it.  Really enjoyed Click, Sugar Bomb, and &ME a great deal and CHOPPY CHOPPY is decent enough to get by.  I’m hoping during their time together that they’ll at least grow vocally to give themselves character and I can really get to know these members more.