ifeye - sweet tang EP
- Samuel Stevens
- Jul 17, 2025
- 2 min read
South Korean indie-pop group ifeye leans fully into playful vulnerability on sweet tang, the group's seven-track sophomore EP, which balances sugar-rush melodies with moments of emotional bite. Released on July 16, 2025, via Hi-Hat Entertainment, the project lives up to its name: bright, fizzy on the surface, but threaded with introspection and quiet unease underneath.
The EP blasts open with the track “loverboy,” a warm and flirtatious introduction that sets the tonal palette immediately. Light synths and breezy rhythms carry a sense of youthful infatuation, while ifeye’s delivery keeps things grounded—never overindulgent, but tender enough to feel sincere. It’s the kind of opener that invites you in effortlessly, suggesting sweetness without fully revealing what’s to come.
That duality sharpens on “friend like me,” where the emotional stakes become clearer. The track explores blurred lines between affection and expectation, pairing catchy hooks with lyrics that hint at longing and quiet frustration. It’s one of the EP’s most relatable moments, capturing the ache of wanting more while pretending you’re content with less.
“round and round” leans into repetition both musically and thematically, mirroring the exhausting cycles of overthinking and emotional limbo. The glitchy pop production loops hypnotically, creating a sense of being stuck in place—an effective contrast to the track’s otherwise buoyant sound.
At the midpoint, “ifeye (interlude)” serves as a brief, minute-long, but thoughtful pause. Rather than a filler moment, it feels like a reset—an atmospheric breather that reflects the EP’s introspective core and subtly reinforces ifeye’s artistic identity.
The emotional center of the project arrives with the start of the EP's second half and the project's massive lead single, “r u ok?”, a deceptively simple question that carries significant weight. The track strips things back slightly, allowing vulnerability to take center stage, but still allowing the group's playful indie pop edge to seep through. There’s a genuine concern embedded in the songwriting, whether directed outward or inward, making it one of the EP’s most affecting songs.
Then comes “say moo!”, the most playful entry on the entire sweet tang tracklist. Both quirky and unapologetically fun, it injects a jolt of humour and charm into the project. Even here, though, ifeye maintains cohesion—its lighthearted nature doesn’t derail the EP’s emotional throughline at all, but instead offers contrast that enhances the overall listening experience.
The closing track “echo” ties everything together beautifully. Reflective and slightly melancholic, it feels like the aftertaste of everything that came before—sweet, lingering, and just a little sharp. The song leaves space for the listener to sit with their thoughts, making it a fitting conclusion to the journey sweet tang sets out to be.
Overall, sweet tang is a compact but thoughtfully crafted EP that showcases ifeye’s ability to blend catchy indie-pop sensibilities with emotional nuance. It’s a project that doesn’t overstay its welcome, yet still leaves a lasting impression—proof that even the sweetest moments can carry a tang worth savouring.
Check out more from ifeye:
Twitter: https://x.com/ifeye_official
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifeye_official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ifeyeofficial/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ifeye
Comments