It is the summer season for K-Pop where the music and concepts are at their most vibrant and uplifting. And while the release schedule has been super packed, we cannot help but feel a jolt of excitement and surprise towards one particular release: former SISTAR members Hyolyn and Dasom’s unexpected collaboration, “Summer Or Summer.”
Originally known as the summer queens during their reign, SISTAR are responsible for some of the most iconic tracks in K-Pop that remain in constant rotation once the temperature rises such as “Shake It” and “Touch My Body.” While this isn’t a complete SISTAR reunion without Soyou’s silky voice and Bora’s vivacious rapping, to see Hyolyn and Dasom together on a track since the group’s disbandment will no doubt cause fans delight and nostalgia.
With smooth elements of bossa nova combined with R&B grooves and melodies, Hyolyn and Dasom paint a bright picture of a summer getaway by the ocean without any worries. It’s a bright production of guitar, glitchy beats, synths and even the appearance of trumpet creating a sound as warm as the beach itself. The loyalty to the SISTAR sound is automatically apparent with their flirtatious lyrics (“Cold coffee or hot me?” as the translation goes), euphoric chorus and feeling of liberation from life’s woes. “I like like/I like like li-like you,” they sing over the post-chorus breakdown and it really does feel for a moment that romance can be so simple and wholesome.
Hyolyn and Dasom haven’t given listeners a choice with “Summer Or Summer” – you simply must allow yourself to feel the warm vibes of the season through this track. While we don’t know what the future portends, we hope that perhaps a full SISTAR reunion is possible in the future.
You can stream the track’s music video below:
