IVE – CRUSH Review: The Evolution of IVE

IVE is finally back with their new Japanese single CRUSH!

While the music video for this new comeback comes out at 21:00 KST, right now I will review this song and share my thoughts as a huge DIVE here on acchilling.com.

IVE in 2024 has given us DIVEs banger after banger, whether it would be immaculate vocals on the ‘All Night’ cover, the powerful sounds of IVE Switch, or the catchiness of ‘Summer Festa’ motivating us to drink our hearts out.

CRUSH also brings in a distinct emotional sound into the table, and also mixes recent sounds IVE has used to create a very dreamy yet exciting track that expresses strong feelings like confessing love to somebody.

While I initially felt the instrumentals to be overwhelming, the dreamy vocals of the group helps to balance out the slow but hard instruments. This makes the song simultaneously energetic and motivational, but also relaxing, like a song one would listen to after finishing a semester of school.

The song also does a good job at pacing itself, and settling down at appropriate times to showcase the beauty of certain parts. The bridge from 2:36-2:51 is a my favorite part of the song. Not only are the vocals here absolutely charming, the instrumentals and backing vocals are in the perfect place and time to solidify the sincerity of the girls’ feelings.

Overall, this song feels like a mix of Payback and WOW, from IVE Mine and IVE SWITCH. Along with utilizing backing vocals more than usual.

With that being said, this song illuminates the evolution of IVE as a girl group, and the direction they seem to be going in with more recent songs having stronger instrumentals and the girls constantly keeping their vocals fresh and unique. However, they never forget to stay true to the IVE we have known and loved since 2021.