In the Morning
있지 (ITZY)
ITZY's "In the Morning" reaches backward in time with both hands and drags 1970s funk vocabulary into a K-pop production context without any sense of apology. The bass is the engine of this song — it moves with that specific kind of slithering groove that belongs to an era of wide lapels and polyester, underpinned by a rhythm section that locks into a genuinely loose-hipped pocket. Horns punctuate the arrangement with bright stabs, and the guitars carry a scratchy, percussive quality that reinforces the retro texture. The group's vocals match this energy with a playful sharpness — delivery that codes as self-aware, hip, a little satirical without losing conviction. The lyrical territory is about the gap between the polished version of yourself you present to the world and what you actually look and feel like in unguarded morning moments, and the song argues that the unguarded version is the more interesting one. This sits within ITZY's broader project of constructing an idol identity around authenticity and autonomy rather than perfection. It's the kind of song that rewards you most when you're playing it through a speaker in the morning, moving around a kitchen, and the low-end reproduction is solid enough to feel the bass physically.
medium
2020s
groovy, retro, bright
South Korean K-pop with 1970s American funk influence
K-Pop, Funk. Retro Funk. playful, self-aware. Rides a groove of ironic self-awareness from start to finish, celebrating the gap between polished performance and unguarded morning reality.. energy 7. medium. danceability 9. valence 8. vocals: playful female ensemble, sharp self-aware delivery, lightly satirical, hip. production: slithering funk bass, bright horn stabs, scratchy percussive guitar, loose-hipped retro rhythm section. texture: groovy, retro, bright. acousticness 3. era: 2020s. South Korean K-pop with 1970s American funk influence. Moving around the kitchen in the morning with a speaker that reproduces the bass physically.