9B2 debuted in 2023 with an EP. But I didn’t hear of them until 2025. Kick, Fuck, Kill is their first full length. A 13-song album containing 50 minutes of music. And what stands out is that 9B2 live inside the rock genre, but don’t use it as a definition of their overall sound.
If anything, Kick, Fuck, Kill is a set of loosely connected songs bridging electronic, alternative rock, experimental music, and even some psychedelica and funk. The song order also feels random. The band that does come through stylistically is SILICA GEL. I hear moments and small melodies throughout most of the songs.
The randomness of 9B2’s style makes it difficult to get fully connected, but the album’s energy sucks you in. At times, it feels random, like on “Lemon Tea.” In other moments, the composition and arrangements are precise. But 9B2 can wander and still maintain forward momentum.
“시계열” is a weird song. The vocal filters and the plodding percussion that’s surrounded by distorted guitar and the low bass are originally distracting. Then you are dragged into this weird world that the band created. Another slightly weird thing with the album is that it sounds like some songs got more attention than others.
“Girl” is their single and sounds like it was specifically prepared for first-time listeners. It still has 9B2’s signature, but pulled back a lot to be a bit more customary rock. Nothing against it, but it doesn’t prepare you for the rest of the album. “멍” follows “Girl” and it’s a wandering jazz and rock song. Again, it contains 9B2 but is also loosely connected to the band’s main style.
I think Kick, Fuck, Kill could have been split into two EPs and presented a better start-to-finish narrative. Or even presenting this album as a part one and part two. The song order comes through as a random set of songs, and this makes it hard to get invested.
9B2’s set of songs is solid and interesting. But it sounds like they added everything they had when this could have used some editing.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.