Following winter’s excellent KillerSHINee’s Key is back with new mini album Good & Great and its title track of the same name. Key is one of those idols I know I can count on to deliver a strong dance track, driven by his unique vision and effortless charisma. Good & Great retains most of those factors, though its edges have been smoothed.
This song takes me back to Key’s 2018 solo debut One Of Those Nights. Rather than opt for big, bombastic melodies or chugging synthwave production, Good & Great is subdued and hypnotic. The instrumental pulls generously from 90’s piano house, adding percolating electro squiggles for extra rhythm. On its face, the sound is quite generic — but it’s well-delivered and satisfying.
I’m most impressed with the rhythmic delivery of Key’s vocals during the song’s verses. The phrasing is much faster than I expected, adding a welcome drive to these segments. This allows the languid portions of the chorus to stand out. Ultimately, Good & Great feels a bit too repetitive for its own good and never really develops past its core ideas. But the combination of its lean production and magnetic performance helps it stand out within its well-trodden genre.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
Grade: B
