4Minute's New Mini is "Crazy" Good

I'm going to lay it all out now: this is the first 4Minute album I've ever listened to. I know it's shameful and trust me I feel embarrassed, but it's the harsh truth. It is weird though because I've been such a huge fan of their earlier title tracks, but since I actually starting following them their title tracks haven't been good enough to make me want to to check their albums out. This time however, it was quite the opposite.


The first track on the album is title "Crazy" and it seriously is crazy how much I love this song. Instantly on first listen I knew that this was a song I would play on repeat for days and days and jam along to. Instrumentally, it's much more EDM-inspired than their prior title tracks and builds itself on strong beats and catchy melodic lines. Lyrically it's not too advanced, but there really isn't a need because this song isn't about going deep or being emotional, it's about acting a bit crazy. The members are all encouraging the people around them to let loose, discover themselves and act out their crazy sides.

I love the way the music matches the meaning of the song and finally there's something heavier to dig into than compared to, let's say, "Whatcha Doin' Today"which was both shallow and generic. Ditching Brave Brothers was definitely the best decision they could have made. Additionally, the line distribution is finally somewhat even, as Hyuna and Jiyoon handle the rapping with power and attitude, Gayoon provides her lovely vocals for the build-up and Sohyun and Jihyun take care of the bridges with their light, airy timbres. As you can tell, there's a crazy amount of aspects about this song that I could go on about, and that's what in my opinion makes an interesting song.

Up next is "Cut It Out" which is a song I have yet to decide whether I like it or not. My main issue with it is that it kind of isn't one song but rather two different tracks mashed together. The rap bits are heavy, full of attitude and YG-like swag but then the chorus comes along and the mood makes a 180 degree turn. Suddenly it's more pop than hip-hop and Jiyoon and Gayoon's sweet singing isn't really making it any more logical either.

However, neither parts are bad. In fact, I enjoy both the rapping (Jiyoon and Sohyun sound fantastic) and the chorus, but together it doesn't make sense to me. Especially the transitions from one part to another are a bit rough around the edges. Not "I Got A Boy" rough, but still drastic enough to make me hesitant. Still, it's lyrically quite pleasant and the sound goes in line with the title track so it's not that big of a turn-off.

"Tickle Tickle Tickle" is probably one of the album's better songs with it's flirtatious and playful nature. The background beat is stable and the record-scratching and brass-driven hook along with the infectious "tickle, tickle, tickle" makes it one to remember. The song is very easy to enjoy and also very easy to dance and hum along to, and I imagine it would be fun performing live as well.

Following song "Stand Out" follows the same musical pattern as the prior, but it's slightly less interesting. It's fun ,energetic and seducing, as it's basically talking about a specific crush and how sexy he is and also what a great butt he has, which I think is hilarious. Still, this song is one of the more forgettable ones on the album, as it doesn't really have a stand-out part. That's kind of ironic, isn't it? I simply don't think the chorus is as strong as it should have been to make the song more memorable.

"Show Me" is also very similar musically, but this time it's more upbeat and definitely more infectious, with a good hook in the chorus and a great mix of instruments playing in the background. As with the previous songs, the lyrics have been confident and sexy, and this time there's even some bragging going on. Lines such as "You know I'm exactly your type" and "Where are you looking? Look here" are pretty representative of the cocky nature of the track, but that's why I like it so much. If you're a member of 4Minute you ought to brag about yourself.

The final track on the mini is "Cold Rain", which is the album's only ballad and also the pre-release song. Fellow labelmates Beast have been pre-releasing ballads for years now, and have had as much success with them as with their title tracks, so I guess their company thought it was worth a try for 4Minute as well. Unlike the other tracks on the album, "Cold Rain" is extremely soft and all the more vulnerable.

The album ends on a much sadder note due to the song's melodramatic identity, but it's not a bad thing because it manages to showcase another side of the group. All the member's vocal performances are spot-on, apart from Sohyun perhaps, whose rap at the end seems more misplaced than anything. However, the ballad is still a strong one, and I'm always appreciative of any ballad providing something different than your standard, over-dramatic OST's.

As a whole, this album is a excellent effort and a tremendously memorable comeback for the group. It makes sense for 4Minute to return with something along the lines of this, and it has been much awaited as well for many people, I think. With this album, 4Minute has managed to return to their roots, but without going back to 2009 and rehash their old material. It's powerful and cocky, like it should be, but there's also a softer, more vulnerable side which prevents it from being too one-dimensional.Although the album is cohesive, I personally would have liked a bit less cohesiveness and a bit more variation, but it's really a minor complaint.

What makes it even more impressive is the member's own influence on this comeback. Hyuna, Jiyoon and Gayoon had hands in writing and composing and Gayoon was the visual director. I like it because it displays a truer, more genuine side of the group and having idols involved in their music is always a big plus for me.

Highlights: "Crazy", "Tickle Tickle Tickle"
Score: 3,75/5