5 Seconds of Summer have made a bold return with their explosive new single ‘NOT OK’, the first official track from their upcoming album Everyone’s A Star!. Since the release of 5SOS5 in 2022, the band took a few years out of releasing as a four-piece to focus on their solo music before reuniting this autumn for the release of their sixth album. 

From the get-go, ‘NOT OK’ is unrelenting; a zesty bass-line and a lively drum beat runs throughout the entire song and sets the tone of the single from the very beginning. Front-man Luke Hemmings kicks off the vocals, delivering them in almost a rap-esque style, adopting a different voice from what have heard from him in both 5SOS and his solo music. 

The fast-paced pre-chorus is a frenzy of anticipation before we are launched into the fiery chorus. The chant-like singing is punchy and powerful as the beat drops, guaranteeing to be an earworm. Lyrically, the song takes on an addictively dark theme, sharing how they indulge in their darker sides and embrace their more destructive impulses. The hypnotic and repeated line, ‘Bite the apple, baby!’, is a perfect metaphor for the song, constantly pulling the listener deeper into the track’s intoxicating atmosphere. As the track unfolds the energy does not falter, distorted guitars and layered harmonies drive the song to a climactic finish that’s bound to be a high point during their upcoming live performances. 

Whilst ‘NOT OK’ may initially feel a bit left-field for 5SOS, I think it’s a great sonic direction for the band to dive down and provides a fresh sound whilst reminding listeners why 5 Seconds of Summer are one of the most dynamic bands in the current pop-sphere.

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