P1Harmony’s DUH! Review: Proof of Earned Hype

The band’s boldest, most boastful EP yet benefits from being both.

Photo courtesy of FNC

While long-time P1Harmony listeners will hear many of the boy band’s hallmarks in their newest release, DUH! - ad libs galore, singing and rapping flexes within the same song, heavy hip-hop inspiration - this project stands apart from their past ones. It is not so much that they have honed their sound, nor is it so much that they have grown more confident. It is both and then some, and what feels the most new-to-them is the apathy they have towards those who wish for their creative and commercial downfall. Those people are jokes to them, and that comes across in their music loud and clear! While being more fun-loving than forceful, the group exudes a triumphant “Doubt us at your own peril” attitude, and their music is better off for it!

Photo courtesy of FNC

The old-school hip-hop vibes are strong from the start of DUH!. In the boom-bap-style title track, P1Harmony declare their group the “G.O.A.T,” tout how they leave “Crowds enchanted,” and prove vocal prowess right after proving they still have a penchant for goofy lyrics (for example, KEEHO’s stellar voice shines right after lyrics about “tomato” and “potato” pronunciations)! Being simultaneously so silly and so serious puts them in rare air, and they know it: “Everyone except me is the same.” 

Choppy and rugged voices prevail on the reggaeton-inspired “Pretty Boy.” The uniqueness of the song’s groove only grows greater, as the bass grows fuzzier, the ad libs keep coming, and the lyrics stay surprisingly suggestive!

“Murmur” returns to brassy boom-bap and shows lyrical and character consistency. Their words remain head-turning for the memorable mixes of mockery and making clear that they mean what they say: “Spit it out, but it’s all trash / That ain’t talkin’, that’s just gas”! They cast those who spread online hate as talentless losers: “Got nothing better to do? / Just busy pulling others down… Jealousy’s your only skill.” They frame the spreading of rumors and hate as more severe with reminders of how quickly both can spiral out of control: “Started small with dumb stuff / Whispers playing with a life;” “Lives being held hostage.” “Murmur” reiterates both an “Am I making myself clear?” question and a “Yes” answer. Just like their genre defiance, P1Harmony’s assertion - in this case, that there is no point in vitriolic online activity - is non-negotiable.

“Flashy” offers a dose of funky EDM pop that plays along with haters’ presumptions; P1Harmony highlight the truths within the nonsense they hear. They are criminals, but just for “stealing / Your glances”! They aren’t like other stars, since no one can “buy [their] time.” And they are in their own world, but due to true success, not from being delusional: “I keep reaching to the top / I’m getting higher again… You can’t touch this paradise / That’s where I am.” They have the last laugh, and they know “You can’t resist” or “look away from the show”! “Like it or not, here we are!” remains the album’s bottom line.

When it comes to blending throwback musical styles, “Over And Over” is even more of a melting pot than the previous songs. It summarizes the lyrical trends so far, too, addressing how P1Harmony have won the battle for attention: “They keep talking, dragging me down / But it’s funny… you just throw weak jabs… You barely made it halfway up.” They feel the opposite of threatened by competitors and haters, which they also boast about on other tracks: “Got you / Tuned in / Continuously” (“Murmur”); “I’m chilling on the top floor / Way above you” (also from “Murmur”); “One small move gets dramatic” (the way they describe how all eyes stay on them in “Flashy”). Clearly, no one can pull them down from feeling on top of the world!

The final song is “Work,” which repeats P1Harmony’s firm belief in their untouchable, one-of-a-kind status. The trap/pop/electronic soundtrack for a “party you can find nowhere” else celebrates the fact that their grunt work is behind them. Compared to the preceding tracks on DUH!, “Work” has the lowest-effort delivery, with talk-rapping in low voices, auto-tune usage, and moments when their voices sound muffled by an intercom. The song still has energy, but it sounds like they are wrapping things up, having nothing more to prove. After all, they have reached the point where beating competition is second nature, allowing attempts to undermine their self-esteem to bounce off of them like rubber. “When I play that track, I bust out a move / That’s the difference between me and you,” they say, which sums up their down-to-play attitude that coincides with a “but we don’t have to play to feel like winners” footnote!

The image of P1Harmony that people are left with after listening to this mini-album is both familiar and new. The group has shown increased confidence era after era, but now, that increase applies to more than just confidence in their singing, rapping, and genre-mixing talents. DUH! demonstrates a heightened degree of certainty in the endurance of those talents. Past eras have shown a stronger and stronger belief that P1Harmony can thrive as their unique selves; DUH! firmly states that they have and will continue to do so. This makes “DUH!” the perfect title track choice. They ask, “Who’s that?” in unison, then say, “It’s me! Duh!” They not only know who they are but know that other people know who they are; their pride in themselves has a new heft to it now that they no longer need an introduction. 

Overall, DUH! speaks to P1Harmony’s staying power on multiple levels, and that staying power should become obvious - worthy of a “Duh!” response! - quickly and continuously when listening.

Check out DUH! here and previous P1Harmony coverage here!

View the Substack version of this piece here!