"Hate" is the new single from 4Minute, released on Monday as part of the K-pop girl group's seventh EP "Act.7."
The cut is a collaboration with superstar US electronic music producer Skrillex, best known for his maximalist production aesthetic and collaborations with everyone from Diplo to Justin Bieber. "Hate" is an no-holds barred piece of epically constructed pop sharpened by Skrillex's world-class production abilities and iconic arsenal of sonic tricks.
Talk about an emotional roller coaster!
The song starts piano-ruled and plaintive before steadily building up steam, leading to a brassy, exuberant chorus drop wherein the women of 4Minute brag "I hate you" and "I don't need you" over an EDM trap groove of massive proportions.
4Minute's attitude-laden rapping on the chorus is a perfect compliment to the hard-charging beats. When these women say "I hate you," I believe it!
The five members' attitude is pure punk on "Hate."
Following that weighty beat drop, things slow down back to first gear. Pianos reemerge. Singing starts in earnest. It's a ballad again. This being a Skrillex-produced tune, however, we know that things break down just to build up. And that's what this track does, multiple times, in classic EDM style.
The song's structure is static but effective. Additionally, "Hate" contains some classic sounds from Skrillex's unmistakable palate. We are talking distorted wobble bass, high pitched raver loving keyboard and another drop, this time with weighty brass stabs that recall Dirty Southern hip-hop. "Hate" is almost a greatest hits collection of some of Skrillex's past efforts, all fused into one maximal and very enjoyable dance single.
When Skrillex's production gets thrown into a hook-filled Hallyu container, magic happens.
The women of 4Minute turn in performances alternating between melancholic and raging. It's a perfect compliment to the track, that, quite frankly, I can't help but love.
Here's hoping Skrillex does more work in the K-pop realm in the future.
Watch the music video for 4Minute's new Skrillex-produced single "Hate" RIGHT HERE
John Chiaverina is a musician and journalist living in New York City. He has performed in over 18 countries, including two tours of South Korea, under the name "Juiceboxxx."
