by Liah Mckee
On Jan. 27, K-pop sensation Tomorrow X Together (more commonly known as TXT) released their brand new EP, “The Name Chapter: Temptation”. Following their group concept of fantasy and youth, this album focuses on the concept of standing on the brink of adulthood.
TXT first debuted on March 4, 2019 from Big Hit Entertainment. They were the first boy group to debut from the company following worldwide superstars BTS. The group is made up of five members: Soobin, Yeonjun, Hueningkai, Taehyun and Beomgyu. Their songs are known to be especially relatable to teens and young adults.
As the opener for the album, “Devil by the Window” is sure to mark a strong first impression of the album on the listener. The intro relies heavily on the bassline and drums, and is surrounded by a dark and mysterious feeling. The most notable part of this song is no doubt when the beat switches before the choruses, and towards the end of the song. In this song, you can really get a taste of the members’ wide vocal range and control, as it gently transitions into the milky outro that almost feels like you’re floating on a dreamy, hazy cloud. Also being the only full-english track on the album, it is easy for international fans to interpret and relate to.
Following their prior darker releases such as “Good Boy Gone Bad” and “LO$ER=LO♡ER”, this title track brings back their refreshing candy-like sound, as it is most reminiscent of their 2020 release, “Blue Hour”. What really sets this song apart from other K-pop tracks is its iconic anti-drop. The song starts off as an energetic summer tune but quickly takes a turn with a cheeky whistle leading the way into the dramatic chorus. It has an overall alluring and addicting beat and melody with a thrilling build-up to the chorus making it more exciting the everytime you listen to it.
Coming as no surprise from TXT, the music video for “Sugar Rush Ride” is just as stunning as the song. Filmed in the beautiful natural sites of Bali, the visuals and graphics for the video are no joke.
This song revolves around the idea of feeling empty by having to accept the reality that your adult life may not be as perfect as you envisioned it to be. Hidden in the addictive and catchy afrobeat, are lyrics that thoroughly capture the feeling of emptiness and hopelessness like “My dream that used to shine bright, has been cut off a long time ago” or “I agree, I’m not a ‘born to be’, even when I look at myself I know I’m nobody special”. Being such personal lyrics, fans are able to connect to TXT on a deeper level. This may be a relatable track as many people struggle with the dilemma of never feeling good enough. It’s rare for a K-pop artist to touch on these subjects through their music so this is definitely a special track on the album.
With this album including a little bit of edginess, playfulness and sentimentalism it has a little something for everybody. Stay tuned as the group is set to go on their 2nd World Tour “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” this year performing all over Asia and North America.
