Watch EXO-SC Forlornly Await a Text in The Retro Video for ‘Telephone’

South Korean group EXO’s rappers Chanyeol and Sehun made fans happy earlier today by dropping a brand new single titled “Telephone” ahead of the release of their first full-length album, 1 Billion Views. The duo, who perform together as a sub-unit called EXO-SC, also unveiled a music video to go along with the single.

The track uses piano and trap instrumentation to present an uplifting beat upon which rappers Chanyeol and Sehun decide to show off their vocal chops. They keep it simple and sweet with straightforward verses and groovy harmonies on the chorus. Singer-songwriter 10cm features on the bridge of the track, slowing things down a bit with his smooth falsetto before Chanyeol and Sehun join in again with a harmony. Some of the detail in the backing track add a quirkiness to the track–funny adlibs from both artists, sounds of a ringtone, the beep of an answering machine, or sound effects you might hear in a video game–and it’s what really makes everything work.

The music video is a blend of various retro trends, kind of like a window into a past of jumbled eras. The house Chanyeol and Sehun live in channel Seventies decor, while the fashion echoes the Nineties and the Blackberry cell phone the duo gaze forlornly at is a relic of the 2000s. The rappers mope around as they await a text from someone they like, waging a comical war against the phone and each other in their frustration.

EXO-SC debuted in 2019 with the EP What A Life and will release their first LP 1 Billion Views on July 13th 2020. The album features solos from each rapper as well as features from prominent musicians like R&B artists Penomeco and Moon.