Amber and Luna are one-half (at one point, two-fifths) of f(x), one of South Korea’s great girl groups of the late ’00s and beyond, known for their eclectic and electric sound and style.
Unfortunately, the group’s gone quiet ever since the release of their latest studio album, 2015’s (incredible) 4 Walls. And while their fans, called the MeU, are impatiently awaiting a comeback, the group’s future remains frustratingly unknown.
To tide us over until their agency finally gets their act together, there’s this: “Lower,” a collaboration between Amber and Luna released as part of SM Entertainment’s ongoing weekly release project, SM Station.
The progressive House-infused thumper is a sleek and sexy offering, full of hypnotic synths and lusty crooning. Lyrically, the track finds the girls searching for a door in order to be set free, which…hmm.
“I’ll run like a child / Open the door and go inside / In the brightly spilling light / That’s where I feel you the most.”
I mean, okay. Look, my mind is constantly in the gutter, but are we talking an actual door here, or? I’m just saying: Britney‘s almighty ode to anal, “Over To You Now,” comes to mind while reading through the English translation. (This special place, it’s in the basement…)
“Lower (You’re so deep babe) Lower / Deeper, I’m / Slower (In your dream) Slower / (Let me in) / Lower / Lower, lower,” they moan before the hypnotic beat comes surging into the speakers.
Opening a door, you say? Mm…hmm.
Lyrical content aside, there’s not too much of a plot to the video, which was self-directed by Amber. It’s made up of mostly moody, mostly black-and-white strolling scenes throughout the city at night, broken up by fierce solo dance breaks before a final dance between the duo.
The thing that might be most unique about the visual, especially for those just getting into the whole K-Pop thing and unaware of f(x), is Amber’s unapologetic androgyny and her refusal to conform to traditional gender stereotypes – which is also nothing new. The powerful style of dancing, the boyish styling: she looks like any member of a popular boy band, especially in comparison to the femme-y Luna. This has basically always been her aesthetic.
“I understand that people are going to question it. With anything new, if it’s weird or cool it will catch people’s attention. But slowly that new thing, if it catches on, it becomes a trend itself. I’m seeing a lot more tomboys in Korea on the street and I do hear less of, ‘Why don’t you dress like a girl?’ Now a lot of people are accepting towards women’s different styles and characteristics,” she told Dazed in 2015.
So, here’s the question: are you ready to get low?
“Lower” was released on January 5. (iTunes)
