D-NA - 비틀비틀 (Stumble Stumble)

When D-NA started, I opened the possibility of them being the new DBSK - the image, the qualities they were showing us, and even the song were indicators that they could very well be the next biggest thing. So now they're back with a very crucial second single, and of course I have to write something about it.


When I heard the teaser and it had the autotune I was furious, because I thought "how dare they auto tune these guys!" and then I heard the song and I thought it was the most generic thing since anything. 비틀비틀 sounds like something F.Cuz, ZE:A and U-Kiss would have no problem calling their own, not that these bands have any choice but you get the point. The mostly one-dimensional instrumental, the melody and the style of autotuning thrown together into one song kinda pissed me off, and I took back their "the new DBSK" label. But that was then.

To a certain extent, I'm thankful that I didn't get to write a review for this the moment it came out because in letting it sink in I realized something.

I don't know if they thought about it, and I don't think they ever will, but there's a very good reason why this is the song D-NA are pushing and even I'm in awe. A bit. 비틀비틀 is the way it is, generic for boybands today, to show how superior D-NA are in terms of talent and performing ability. The vocals on the song are pulled of brilliantly for new boyband standards and surprisingly, they have that tiny bit of punch - you can hear the conviction in their vocals. I'm not too sure about the rap parts, but at least the vocals are brilliant to my ears.

There are people in those other boybands who can sing, but the whole point of D-NA is the fact that they took the one or two people who can sing in those average boybands and threw them into one band. Sounds familiar? DBSK were all the lead singers of SME project groups put into one group. Yes.

And to be honest, I kinda overreacted with the autotuning - there's only like a few seconds of autotuned vocals throughout the song, and the verses are left "untouched" (by obvious autotune at least). Besides, autotune is fine for me as long as they're able to sing it live with no complications - sometimes a song won't sound the same without that little bit of processing.

I realize that I was wrong in taking back their title of the new DBSK because I was expecting them to do something ala-The Way You Are. This is not 2004, and the music from then has greatly changed - D-NA are the new DBSK not because they're copying them but because they've taken the trend at this very moment and done it extremely well, better than all the other bands in their "category". That's what DBSK did then, and that's what D-NA has done now. Good job, guys.

So does this mean I have a new second favorite boyband to fangirl over? In time people, in time.

4.1/5

And a little bonus - a practice session where they actually sing! Not like the crapp SME ones where all they do is dance. Ugh. Some feedback here and there though.