4 Walls (song)

"4 Walls" is a song recorded by South Korean–multinational girl group f(x) for their 2015's eponymous fourth Korean studio album. The deep-house and UK garage track was written by Jam Factory member Lee Seu-ran, whilst production was handled by production LDN Noise, singer-songwriter Tay Jasper, and producer Adrian McKinnon. It was initially released on October 27, 2015 by their label and Genie Music as the lead single, in conjunction with the release of its parental album, and later as a double A-side single with a new Japanese track "Cowboy" on November 2, 2016. An accompanying music video was also released, featuring the members witnessing themselves in different dimensions. It was the group's first single as a quartet since the departure of Sulli in August 2015, and their first Korean single in over a year since "Red Light" in 2014. The song was eventually the group's second Japanese double single since "Pinocchio" / "Hot Summer" in 2015, and to date their final release as a quartet.

"4 Walls"
CD-only cover for "4 Walls"/"Cowboy"
Single by f(x)
from the album 4 Walls
A-side
  • "Cowboy"
ReleasedOctober 27, 2015 (2015-10-27) (Korean ver.) November 2, 2016 (2016-11-02) (Japanese ver.)
Recorded2015
StudioSM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre
Length3:28
Label
Songwriter(s)Lee Seu-ran, LDN Noise, Tay Jasper, Adrian McKinnon
Producer(s)
F(x) singles chronology
"Red Light"
(2014)		 "4 Walls"
(2015)		 "Wish List"
(2015)
Music video
"4 Walls" on YouTube

Upon its initial release, "4 Walls" garnered generally favorable reviews from music critics, most of whom highlighted as one of the album's best tracks and complimented the song's music styles. The song went on to achieve commercial success for the group, peaking at number two on both the Gaon Digital Chart and the US Billboard World Digital Songs, becoming the highest charting entry of the group on the latter chart. It then became their second, and to date their highest entry on the Oricon Singles Chart, peaking at number fifteen upon its Japanese release in 2016. To promote the track, f(x) attended and performed on several Korean television shows, including Music Bank and M Countdown, and later on their first headlining concert tour, titled Dimension 4 – Docking Station in 2016.

Background and release

South Korean girl group f(x) had achieved success in South Korea, and through Asia with singles including "Electric Shock" and "Hot Summer" as a five-piece group, consisting of Victoria Song, Amber Liu, Luna, Krystal Jung and Sulli.[1] During the promotion of the group's third studio album Red Light (2014), member Sulli did not participate in live performances due to her "suffering from continual negative comments and false rumors", according to the group's parent company S.M. Entertainment's official statement on July 25, 2014. f(x)'s promotional activities thereafter involved the four other members, while Sulli took a career hiatus.[2] On August 7, 2015, it was announced that Sulli had officially withdrawn from the group to focus on her acting career, and f(x) would continue to promote as a four-member group.[3]

On September 11, 2015, the group confirmed work on a then-upcoming studio titled 4 Walls, and the release of a new single and music video, which was revealed to be the title track to the album.[4] It premiered on October 27, 2015, the same date as the album's release, as the lead single.[5] A Japanese version of the track was released alongside the newly-recorded "Cowboy" (stylized as "COWBOY"), as a double A-side single in Japan on November 2, 2016 via Avex Trax.

Composition and style

"4 Walls" was written by Jam Factory member Lee Seu-ran, whilst composing and production was handled by LDN Noise, Tay Jasper, and Adrian McKinnon. Lee Soo-man, the former president at S.M. Entertainment, also served as the executive producer to the track.[5] Musically, it is a song heavily influenced by electronic dance music. It was described as a tropical house song with "slinky" synthesizers and "dreamy" hooks by The Star's Chester Chin.[6] It was characterized as an "update" of UK garage by Spin, while Jeff Benjamin at Billboard detailed it as having a deep house sound.[7][8] In a capsule review for PopMatters, Scott Interrante summed up the song as "dance-oriented" and stated that the track "uses a funky house beat to craft a cool pop song with a subdued vibe and memorable chorus."[9] John Chiaverina from Kpopstarz.com wrote an extended review on the track, noting that the song was heavily inspired by the British music scene and Western electronic dance music. Chiavernica compared the track's composition and vocals to a large variety of work by different artists, including Disclosure, Mariah Carey, Pitbull, and the song "Show Me Love" by American vocalist Robin S..[10]

Critical response

Upon its release, the track garnered generally favorable reviews from music critics. Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy from Vice.com gave the song a positive review, feeling that "the group's romantic fervor fulfils the euphoria that drives some of the best house and pop music."[11] An editor at Seoulbeats.com praised the composition and production of the song, stating "It achieves this laid back intensity as the song progresses and manages to have this without the usual heavy bass drop or shift in chords that one can find in usual K-pop songs."[12]

Jeff Benjamin from Billboard complimented the song's composition, and compared it to the song "View" by South Korean boy band and brother group to f(x), Shinee; he explained, "The deep house sound is perfect for f(x) and creates a superior sister to "View," complete with moments of belting, rapping and even an awesome synthy breakdown at the bridge."[8] Writing for Pitchfork, Sheldon Pearce described the song as a "superficial rebirth", further explaining, "though the album's lead single and title track has veiled references to changing and becoming new, f(x)'s synthpop bounce remains steadfast and uncompromised." He also believed that "though Sulli was undoubtedly a standout among the group, her departure allows others to grab the spotlight".[13] Jakob Dorof from Spin discussed the album's "minor misgivings", and contrasted it with the title track, stating "Nowhere moreso than its title track, a deft U.K. garage upgrade that becomes definitively K-pop with rapper Amber's surprisingly fire verse and a visionary double-bridge that shifts time, feel and genre with a logic all its own."[7] Chester Chin, writing for The Star, believed that the song's tropical and deep house elements were "leaps and bounds ahead of the conventional K-pop fares".[6]

Commercial performance

Commercially, "4 Walls" was successful in South Korea. It debuted at number two on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart for the week of October 25, 2015.[14] It was the twenty-sixth best-selling single of October 2015 (199,976 digital units sold),[15] and the twelfth best-selling single of November 2015 (247,232 digital units sold) in South Korea.[16] As of June 2016, the track has sold over 619,022 units in South Korea, the group's highest selling single since "Rum Pum Pum Pum" with over 900,000 units sold.[17][18] The track debuted at number two on the US Billboard World Digital Songs, becoming their highest-charting song on the chart.[19]

Track listings

"4 Walls"/"Cowboy"
CD
No.TitleLength
1."4 Walls" (Japanese version) 
2."Cowboy" 
3."4 Walls" (instrumental) 
4."Cowboy" (instrumental) 
DVD
No.TitleLength
1."4 Walls" (music video; Japanese version) 
2."4 Walls" (making of music video; Japanese version) 
3."Making of the single's cover" 

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted by the liner notes of the 4 Walls album.[5]

Charts

Accolades

Music program awards
Program Date
M Countdown (Mnet) November 5, 2015
November 19, 2015
Music Bank (KBS) November 6, 2015
November 13, 2015
The Show (SBS MTV) November 10, 2015
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gollark: Also study skills and independent research.

References
  1. Pareles, Jon (March 13, 2016). "SXSW Music: Korean Pop With Its Own Special f(x)". Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  2. Ha Soo Jung (July 25, 2014). "SM Releases Official Statement Announcing f(x) Sulli Will Stop All Promotional Activities". Mwave. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  3. 설리, 에프엑스 활동 중단 1년만에 공식 탈퇴 '연기 집중' [Sulli withdrawn from f(x) following one-year hiatus]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo Company. August 7, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  4. Lee Seung-rok (September 11, 2015). [단독] f(x), 오늘(11일) 제주서 극비리 뮤비 촬영…컴백 프로젝트 시동 [f(x) started filming a secret music video today] (in Korean). Naver. Naver Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  5. 4 Walls (CD album; Liner notes). f(x). South Korea: S.M. Entertainment. 2015. SMK 0569.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. Chin, Chester (January 6, 2016). "Review: F(x) – 4 Walls (album)". The Star. Malaysia. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  7. Dorof, Jakob (November 4, 2015). "Review: F(x) – 4 Walls (album)". Spin. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  8. Benjamin, Jeff (November 2, 2015). "Review: F(x) – 4 Walls (album)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  9. Scott, Interrante (December 17, 2015). "The Best K-Pop of 2015". PopMatters. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  10. Chiaverina, John (November 6, 2015). "Review: F(x) – 4 Walls (album)". Kpopstarz.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  11. Montesinos-Donaghy, Daniel (November 10, 2015). "Are f(x) the Most Underappreciated Heroes of K-Pop?". Vice.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  12. Pat (October 28, 2015). "F(X) Matures In 4 Walls". Seoul Beats. Archived from the original on October 28, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  13. Pearce, Sheldon (November 18, 2015). "Review: F(x) – 4 Walls (album)". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  14. "Gaon Digital Chart: Week 45, 2015" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  15. "Gaon Digital Chart – October 2015" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  16. "Gaon Digital Chart – November 2015" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  17. "Gaon Download Chart of October 2015" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  18. "Gaon Download Chart of 2013" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  19. "World Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  20. "Oricon Chart – F(X) Singles Chart History". Oricon Chart (in Japanese). Retrieved November 8, 2016.
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