Overview
ATEEZ has comeback with their latest new EP titled GOLDEN HOUR : Part.1. Join me as a listener unfamiliar with much of ATEEZ’s discography as well as K-Pop boy groups as I try my best to review this EP. As always, headphone listening is recommended.
Track 1: Golden Hour (Intro Track)
This fully-English introduction track tries to decipher what a Golden Hour is supposed to be. The speaker discusses and questions himself, until coming up with the idea that little things in life like spending time with friends and family are truly the best moments in life. One can even hear some background voices going around of people yelling/talking/cheering.
8/10 on Intro/Transition scale
Track 2: Blind
I was super thrown off when I heard Latin style music in this track. As a former NMIXX fan (who use some Latin in their music), I was really happy to see another group do it again.
Overall, this track reminds me of my days as a Fast & Furious fan, with all the Latin chants making this prime dance music for certain movies like those. It’s also touching living in an area where Latin music is loved much more, it feels very familiar.
8/10
Track 3: WORK
The instruments of this song make it extremely appealing and catchy, especially the flute which is something you don’t hear every day anymore. I also think some of the lyrics are funny, like I’ve never heard “make purse” be another synonym of chasing the bag. I feel like the ending beat could have had more in it, the song already is super fast and in your face, but maybe they wanted to play it safe and keep it simple. It’s simplicity also helps it feel more western which I feel like it’s going for (especially with the music video, haha).
Overall, while it is a catchy song, it definitely doesn’t feel all that unique, especially compared to many other boy group songs I have listened to in the past. Still a great title track though and great for the dynamic hip-hop style of K-Pop.
8/10
Track 4: Empty Box
This more relaxing, heartwarming song about moving on helps to cool the listener down after the intensity of the title track. I feel like the instrumental is a little too much, especially with the trap rhythm they added throughout most of the song (though it does work for the rap parts).
I will admit that ATEEZ does a great job of making these different instrumentals work. I do find myself struggling to relax with this song though despite it’s more relaxing style.
7/10
Track 5: Shaboom
The tropical sounds during the verses, and how it turns to a pure dance pop song otherwise are very effective with the vocals of all ATEEZ members. These beat changes are very smooth and get you excited very quickly too. Although the opposite of my views on Aespa songs comes up here, where this song somehow feels shorter than it actually is.
Overall, this song isn’t bad, but not as memorable as ‘Blind’ or ‘WORK’ on the EP so far. The introduction is a little funny though.
7.7/10
Track 6: Siren
I really dig the instrumentals of this. I feel like it rivals ‘WORK’ with its energy. Though like ‘WORK’ it also just doesn’t feel very unique, at least the ladder had uncommon instruments.
This feels like your standard dance pop song to help transition you into party mode when you go to a club or something like that. But like all songs on here, ATEEZ does a very effective job at giving you that kind of “party energy”.
7.5/10
Conclusion
Overall, this EP required a lot of re-listens to really click with since almost every song felt too party-like and went over my head too easily, and as a result most songs didn’t feel all that noteworthy. Some songs clicked more than others, and songs like ‘WORK’ really grow on you.
Despite that, the instrumental choices for the most part were absolutely brilliant and made it feel like every song had a different setting/story and the vocals complimented them super effectively.
At the same time though, most songs just feel way too in your face which kind of made them naturally go in-and-out of my ears and brain. But all in all, sometimes music takes time and I really wanted to take my time with this one and give it as much optimism as possible. So I appreciate those who read this blogpost.
7.8/10