Released: June 2011, South Korea
Rating: 3.00
Despite being a cover of Monrose's forever legendary "Hot Summer", f(x) (or SME, rather) managed to give the song a definite f(x) sound, what with the processed vocals and synth-laden sound. It's a pop song in the trust sense of the word, and it's one of those songs that best represents the SME sound for this year.
Of course I crave for something like "Lachata" again, and basically everything between this and that was blegh, but SME has paved the f(x) sound pretty well. Trendy, edgy, not too sexy, and youthful with just the right amount of fun. Even with the heavy synths and autotune, "Hot Summer" manages to sound fun and a bit fresh, actually.
I cry for the injustice served to Luna's vocals, but on the other hand, Sulli has really shaped up and gotten better in terms of vocals. Now all we need is for Amber to get more singing lines, and Victoria to not get any until she learns how to sing and not whisper.
In standard SME style, everything about "Hot Summer" has been choreographed to oblivion - every note, every little bit of vocal gymnastics, every little detail meticulously looked after, and it shows. But then again, that's what SM is, and it works for their acts. "Hot Summer" is one of the songs I couldn't stop listening to earlier this year, for that very reason.
