Bite Review: P1Harmony’s “Blow Up” Shouldn’t Be This Good

P1Harmony × About group P1Harmony P1Harmony is a six-member South Korean boy group formed by FNC Entertainment. The group consists of Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob. They officially debuted on October 28, 2020, with the mini album DISHARMONY : STAND OUT. P1Harmony is recognized for its energetic performances, strong rap and vocal line, distinctive musical identity, and themes centered on individuality, confidence, unity, and personal growth. Tap again to view profile → Close ’s newest comeback, “Blow Up,” is a collection of generic elements. You’ve got a heavy application of autotune, a familiar quirky superhero MV concept, and a very copy-paste classic pop song structure. The math says these elements should add up to a mediocre result. But, somehow, that’s not the case. “Blow Up” exceeds the sum of its parts.

One thing that lifts “Blow Up” above its theoretical potential is strong execution. The MV’s concept, while not original, is brought to life in a uniquely engaging way. Throughout, there is a visually interesting push and pull between light and darkness. Sometimes that’s literal, with rapid shifts between day and night settings. Then there are cheeky, figurative manifestations of the pattern, like a sharply edited scene where Soul × Artist bio Soul Real name: Haku ShotaPosition: Rapper, DancerNationality: JapaneseBirthday: 2005-02-01Birthplace: Saitama, Japan Soul is a Japanese rapper and dancer of P1Harmony. Creative, free-spirited, quiet, artistic, unpredictable, and playful. Tap again to view profile → Close rolls through a dance sequence, shifting back and forth between angel and demon costuming.

The editing is an MVP throughout the MV, creating a sense of momentum that’s especially useful given the dreamy, chill quality of the song itself. For instance, rapid cuts and angled close-ups in the closing seconds of the MV give the final chorus — which is nearly identical to previous refrains — extra energy.

The relaxed musicality of “Blow Up” is likely to be polarizing, especially since P1Harmony are best known for high energy title tracks. Autotune is also always going to turn some listeners off, though its applied here with a light touch. P1Harmony’s most distinctive voices are alive and well in “Blow Up,” from Keeho × Artist bio Keeho Real name: Yoon Kee-hoPosition: Leader, VocalistNationality: Korean-CanadianBirthday: 2001-09-27Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Keeho is the leader and a vocalist of P1Harmony. Confident, witty, expressive, caring, and dependable as a leader. Tap again to view profile → Close ’s velvety vocal riffs, to Jongseob × Artist bio Jongseob Real name: Kim Jong-seobPosition: Rapper, Dancer, MaknaeNationality: South KoreanBirthday: 2005-11-19Birthplace: Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Jongseob is a rapper, dancer, and the youngest member of P1Harmony. Focused, mature, hardworking, intelligent, disciplined, and quietly humorous. Tap again to view profile → Close ’s drawled yet staccato rap. And arguably, the languid vibe of “Blow Up” is an interesting contrast to the song’s braggadocious lyrics:

> I’m so blessed
>
> Going up, going up, hit the skyline
>
> Do what I want, give a what, now is my time
>
> That’s right, break the limits, burn it
>
> Set it on fire, call me the fuse, I’ma blow it up

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The overall impression “Blow Up” gives is of incredibly relaxed confidence — and that is the heart of what makes the comeback compelling.

P1Harmony have been hustling in the K-pop sphere since 2020, slowly but surely gaining recognition. At what is the most successful moment of their career so far, they’ve released a song that pats themselves on the back (fair enough), but in the most nonchalant way possible. And that just feels cool.

Coming full circle, the mundane simplicity of the component parts of “Blow Up” is what gives it an effortless energy. Additionally, “Blow Up” avoids feeling phoned in because while it is familiar in general, it is a bit of a departure for P1Harmony themselves, standing out within their discography while not entirely departing from their style. “Blow Up” isn’t cool, calm, and collected by accident, but by design. And that intentionality, stylish execution, context, and no shortage of performance charisma transform a track that should have been forgettable into something fresh and surprisingly fierce.

(YouTube. Lyrics via YouTube. Images via FNC Entertainment.)