History is a band at a crossroads.

Since their debut in April of last year, the group has continued to deliver solidly danceable material that stands out for it's sharp delivery and a production style fusing 1970s disco, 1980s R&B and modern hip-hop styles.

Yet, History has yet to ascend the heights of commercial success attained by more seasoned boy bands like EXO or BEAST.

Considering that History's time in the spotlight has just crossed the one-year mark, this may seem like a premature time to raise this issue. But in a K-pop industry with a notoriously short attention span and an even shorter memory, this group needs to make their mark and they need to make it fast if they intend to reach the level of fame, that this reviewer for one, feels they deserve.

One move towards History making history is the group's powerful new dance-fuelled five song EP "Desire," released on Monday. And though this album is not a strong departure from their most recent EP "Blue Spring," it does have some fantastic moments. Perhaps the strongest of all of them happens right at the top of "Desire."

The album's opening track "I Got U" encapsulates all that is great about History-- their mix of old and new grooves and vocals that cry out in soulful desperation.

There is a strong nod to "Bad"-era Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones's always-brilliant production in the pair's last collaborations together. But there is also a strong sonic kinship in "I Got U" to Justin Timberlake's solo albums--particularly his critically regaled 2006 release "Future Sex/LoveSounds."

But it is not just the dance-infused ingredients that History and their production team are using that are noteworthy; it is what they mold them into.

Composed by band member Jang Yijeong, "I Got U" takes something as mundane as the played-out "four on the floor" bass drum rhythm (in which the bass drum is hit on every beat, to reassure unconfident dancers everywhere) the group puts an indelible stamp on the proceedings, making one more fun romp out of a groove whose potential seemed to already be exhausted.

If History keeps pouring fuel on this hot dance fire, it just might catch on. But first they need to burn the script.

Listen to "I Got U" the leadoff track from the new album "Desire" by History RIGHT HERE