Here’s a K-pop quiz for you: Name a collaboration or subunit, past or present, that has the level of sexy, sparky, and steamy chemistry as Triple H’s Hyuna, Hui and Dawn (formerly e’Dawn). I could not decide on just one adjective so I had to use them all. This week, the Strictly Korean playlist shuffled out the trio’s funkadelic old school track, Retro Future, from their second EP release, Retro Futurism, and I was immediately transported back to the early days of hip hop.
I discovered Triple H with their Retro Future comeback back in July 2018 right as the rug was about to be pulled out from under them because Hyuna and Dawn had the audacity to fall in love and were dating. I guess I will never be able to wrap my brain around K-pop’s adverse view of idols dating. I mean, they are human first and foremost, right? Anyway, I caught the Retro Future comeback stage and loved the group’s vibe, but even more, loved their chemistry together. I was just getting acquainted with Pentagon so I had some familiarity with 2/3 of this collab. Admittedly, I was not at all familiar with Hyuna who for all intents and purposes is pretty much a K-pop icon. Because I don’t generally follow girl groups (does that make me a bad person?), I had no knowledge of Hyuna but have grown to really appreciate her not so much on the music side, but just generally for being an unapologetic badass living her life and her love openly.
The song. Retro Future is all hip-hoppy and psychedelic. It is also catchy, sexy and fun and will easily trigger your inner groove meter whether you want it to or not. Hui handling the main vocals will always be a win in my book. Let me pause to say that Pentagon’s incredibly talented leader is headed for the military and I am really going to miss him. But, I digress.
Triple H gives me Blackeyed Peas, Outkast and Grandmaster Flash vibes all combined into one and that’s pretty cool because with Retro Future, they wrap the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s all into one song.
The MV. Well, first of all the visuals are off the chain with these three. The music video is the epitome of trippy and fun. Very cinematic, it reminds me of Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction, and even some Thelma and Louise. Whatever the case, it is clear our trio has come to cause some trouble, spice things up, or otherwise encourage the idea of inhibition, freedom and fun.
In a nutshell, Triple H just wants us to be ourselves and enjoy this wild ride called life. I don’t know about you, but I can be totally down with that.
~💋~
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