While there have been plenty of great title tracks so far this summer, we haven’t heard many that are explicitly themed to the season. (G)I-DLE are here to fix that with new single Klaxon (클락션). Following 2020’s DUMDi DUMDi, the girls are back with another summer track that hearkens back to K-pop’s distant past.

The first time through, Klaxon felt like a song that would have done well in the 90’s. Many Korean groups of that era embraced a summery, novelty-heavy sound that often utilized faux reggae in a way that feels a bit cringey now. Klaxon doesn’t touch reggae (thank goodness), but it has a Meghan Trainor-esque kitsch retro energy that heavily leans into musical influences from decades ago. The song never falls into total pastiche, though it certainly teeters on the line.

I wish Klaxon harnessed a more freewheeling energy. It sounds very studied and constrained. A track like this thrives on an overwhelming sense of fun and borderline goofiness. Klaxon is silly but not unabashedly so. The brassy instrumental has potential and there are a few nice melodic touches here and there. It’s nice to hear (G)I-DLE tackle a completely different sound and we know the charts will reward them either way, but for me this doesn’t commit far enough in any direction to stand out.

Hooks	7
Production	8
Longevity	8
Bias	7
RATING	7.5

Grade: C