SF9 celebrates their 10th year as a group this year. To mark the occasion, the group has released 2 albums this year. The first is a special album titled About Love, which was released in March 2026, led by the single Love Comes Slowly (which I missed and did not review). More recently, the group (sans Yoo Taeyang and Zuho due to military enlistment) released their 2nd studio album, Tenacity, led by the title track Without Wings. My last review of an SF9 release was for their LOVE RACE era (title track and mini-album review).

Without Wings has a nice rhythm (when you really pay attention to the instrumentation) and showcases some really good R&B vocals from the group. I do appreciate the sensual vibes the song gives off, which suits SF9’s style. The Afrobeats also give it a somewhat refreshing, breezy tone that works well with the current summer heat. But when I listen to the song casually (i.e., it appears on my queue), I don’t register it at all. Despite all that has been mentioned, Without Wings feels incredibly dull and largely forgettable. The hooks and melodies are pretty light and don’t really amp up or give the song any oomph. I still can’t remember much of the chorus, even after a couple of listens when I wrote this review. Similarly, the same goes for the rapping. Without Wings also feels incredibly tight, wisping away into a blur rather than a song. There’s no time between the verse and chorus, or vice versa, to appreciate or process the song.

I feel like my comments about the music being dull also apply to the music video. The music video’s atmosphere feels mature and sensual, which works well with Without Wings‘ R&B style. But beyond that, I don’t find anything that draws me back to this music video in particular.

SF9 did a good job bringing those sensual, mature vibes to the forefront of the choreography without making it too obvious. The routine, alongside the “W, W” hook, had some intensity, which helped beef up the chorus on stage. I also enjoyed how delicate Jaeyoon’s part in the bridge looked.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10