Once given the title of “Summer Queens,” Red Velvet may be better known as the queens of all seasons.
With their previous album, Chill Kill, perfectly suited to the crisp air and spooky subtext of the colder fall months, and 2022’s The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm fit for the new and bright beginnings of spring, their latest EP and summertime release, Cosmic, feels like the natural next step.
Despite numerous delays, thanks to management company SM Entertainment (at this point a fixture of the quintet’s oftentimes belated release schedules), Cosmic is mostly worth the wait. As expected, Red Velvet are keen to come on top of whatever season they release and album in, and Cosmic’s funky undertones and bubbly overtones and the summer’s warmer months undeniably go hand in hand.
However, whether or not the group comes out on top is questionable. As a whole, Cosmic is far from some of Red Velvet’s best and most “red” and “velvet” work, instead opting to play it safe with at times pared down, at other times overextended production choices. The album doesn’t take the listener anywhere new or totally unconventional, as one may expect with a Red Velvet release, but still pulls through with a few earwormy tracks here and there that ensure the group still deliver on their promise to draw listeners in.
Title track “Cosmic” is luckily one of those tracks; a sleek, groovy disco pop song co-composed by SM in-house producer Kenzie. The track opts for a classic melodic approach, which is not as characteristic for Red Velvet, but which works in their favor as the members’ vocals soar over a hefty bass, opulent strings, and layers upon layers of instrumentation that still manage to feel ethereal and carefree. “Cosmic” also takes the beloved Red Velvet formula of fusing together two unexpected genres on one track: combining classical elements with summery disco and funk in one of the group’s most seamless efforts to-date.
There are other instances on Cosmic where Red Velvet again opt for the poppy melodic approach, only to become so caught up in their melodies so as to lose sight of some of the saucy, more interesting production moments they have to offer. “Love Arcade,” for example, opens with a hypnotic, music box-like lullaby which then merges with a strong beat and bass and plucky, warped synths. Meanwhile, the track’s melody is rigid and immovable as these heavy yet compelling production elements weigh the rest of “Love Arcade” down.
“Sunflower” also struggles to take flight, opting for another robust beat and buzzy bassline that ultimately becomes too bulky for its own good. Still, the members’ light and airy vocals and a soft, muted guitar add some reprieve. Retro track “Bubble” also lacks that extra “oomph,” but makes up for the most part with its heavenly harmonies and a standout vocal performance from Wendy.
Although none of the b-sides are that memorable nor can be classified as true earworms when compared to the rest of Red Velvet’s discography, slower songs “Last Drop” and “Night Drive” have that signature “velvet” characteristic that gives listeners something to really sink their teeth into. “Last Drop” is by far the easiest listen on Cosmic, aided by a lush, melancholic R&B sound that finally gets the mixing just right. It also remains compelling from beginning to end, with a dramatically narrated interlude that halts listeners in their tracks before the chorus takes off into the outro. “Night Drive” is just as effortless with its hard-hitting adlibs and chilled tempo, evoking feelings of yearning and desire as they strike on a hot summer night.
Cosmic may not be the ground-breaking Red Velvet album any longtime fan or casual listener would expect or hope for, with its lack of memorable quirks and signature Red Velvet oddities that make any of their tracks stick. At the very least, the album is an enjoyable listen from beginning to end — some questionable and clunky production choices aside — and perfect for those warm summer months that are sure to stick around. While neither entirely “red” nor “velvet,” Cosmic finds a medium in between that does just enough to get Red Velvet by.
(YouTube. Images via SM Entertainment.)
