EXO "Don't Fight the Feeling" album review...

  • HYPE is real...



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    Let's get into it..



    1. Don't Fight the Feeling


    Intro feels always catches me off guard. It's something I never expected from an EXO song. Not sure if I like it.


    Production is so groovy. The bass is Nasty AF. Verses are alright. Chorus is nice. I would have liked the melody to be a little stronger than what we got tbh. It nails the groove its going for. Vocals are, as expected, the best.


    As for rapping, I heard quite a few complaints for Sehun's part, Personally I am okay with it... It's not bad enough (I mean to say, It's not bad) to take me out of the song. I would have liked Sehun to not rely on creating "Space" within his raps...



    Lay is back, Nice to hear his bright voice in the song.


    Good title track.



    Ranking :- 8.5/10





    Here comes the B-sides....



    2. Paradise


    Intro gives me chills everytime.


    Nice falsetto by Baekhyun and Kai to start off the song. Xiumin's pre-chorus is the best part of the song to me...


    Such a playful and fun vibe.


    Damn, the confidence Kyungsoo exudes in this song is just otherworldly.


    Production is pristine. The ambient, slight distant synths in Xiumin's pre-chorus is something I like to hear a lot. Great use of Guitar in Sehun's Rapsing part.



    Excellent B-side.


    Rating :- 10/10



    3. No Matter


    Funky vibe. Similar to Tender Love. I think it's a decent song. Production reminds me of Butterfly Effect. Chorus is a little weak but the vibe is strong.


    Nice to hear a lot variety from Sehun's raps in this album, His vocals have improved (as he's been taking frequent vocal lessons)


    I would've liked the song to be 30 seconds shorter.



    Rating :- 8/10



    4. Runaway


    Are there any words to describe the experience while listening to this song? I don't think so. But I will still try.



    Intro seemed rather bright and then it quickly turned into something else.


    The distorted drums are a really smart choice. And THOSE SYNTHS in the back are haunting. Guitar again steals the spotlight especially during Baekhyun and Xiumin's part.


    I love the raspiness in Chanyeol's vocals.



    As for the chorus, There could have been nothing better than what we got.

    Like, especially Chanyeol's "I'm gone, I'm gone, Boseona"



    As for the highlight of the song, Baekhyun flexing his vocals at 2:18, It sounds so good and Kyungsoo's little run at the end.




    Rating :- 10/10




    5. Just as usual


    Immediately this gives vibe of Kyungsoo's That's Okay and EXO's Wait....


    Those chords are beautiful. As for the melody, It's a decent song especially considering it's probably gonna be played during the ending ment for their concerts.


    Kyungsoo's adlibs are to die for. Like, I really missed his voice.



    Interesting thing I noticed, When Chanyeol starts his rap part, There is a really strange sound in the background. I wonder what it is? I mean I like it, but Is it members vocals processed or electric guitar? I couldn't distinguish between those. Sounds amazing regardless.





    Rating :- 8.25/10





    Conclusion :-


    A solid album as expected from EXO. We got solid b-sides.



    I will say one thing :-


    I hope They don't use those trap half-time breakdown for raps in majority of their songs from now on. It's great when it's utilized well.



    Final rating :- 89.5%




    What do you think? Let me know.


    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

    Edited 4 times, last by daniel-cruz ().

  • Interesting thing I noticed, When Chanyeol starts his rap part, There is a really strange sound in the background. I wonder what it is? I mean I like it, but Is it members vocals processed or electric guitar? I couldn't distinguish between those. Sounds amazing regardless.

    It's an electric guitar, they cutted the low end and a part of the high end, it's distorted...

  • in order


    1- Runaway

    2- paradise

    3- Just as usual

    4- no matter

    5- Dont fight the feeling


    Edit: looks like I misread the thread or threads have merged. It was asked ' what is your favourite song'


    My review: Album is solid 7/10

  • Here was my initial review with updates:

    1. Paradise - 9

    It's like Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" for a new era - this bright funk and layers of assertive, unabashedly grown up vocals, complete with a swagger. We even get some Sehun singing here and Kaishowing off his range. This is definitely a retro vibe, which I'm quite passionate about. I love it. Does EXO have more complex songs? Sure, but sometimes it's just about doing something so damned well. I will play this song into infinity.

    (Update: Yes, I am playing this song into infinity. It is already #2 in my most listened tracks for the past 4 weeks, behind the equally addictive Rocket from NCT Dream.)


    2. Don't Fight the Feeling - 8.5 (moved up from an 8)

    This is a great hybrid of a song - there are ol skool aspects to it, but it still has a fresh modern layer to it with the EDM-style beats. When it slows down so Chanyeol can sing, it's so good and unexpected. Everyone sounds so good here - it has a bright energy but I think it still has unexpected elements so that it's not as straightforward pop like Power was. The Kyungsoo slowdown reminds me how much I missed his voice in the EXO combination - he's used lightly throughout the album to my ear, but he does add such richness to every song.

    (Update: This one is #3 in the past 4 weeks. LOL. I agree with Kireta that it just gets more and more addictive. A half point improvement here. I know the rap is getting a lot of grief but I think I've been pretty vocal that while I love EXO, rap is not their forte. That's not what I'm looking for in an EXO song, and I did not think this particular one was weak enough to be jarring IMO. There are certainly EXO raps that are, but this ain't one to me. Overall across the album I thought the rap line was actually sounding pretty decent, although not to the highs of Chanyeol's fire on Obsession, but then this is a more laidback vibe)


    3. No Matter - 8 (moved up from a 7.5)

    This is a simmering groove of a song that picks up at the prechorus and into the chorus with a classic r&b style vocal that highlights the growth in Baek's abilities that we've seen on his solo work. I'm an NCTzen, but I did crack up at the gratuitous skrrt skrrt here. I also think Sehun and Chanyeol are sounding better as rappers throughout this whole mini. They've truly found their lane. And Kyungsoo giving me "feeling so high" with an aching break in the word. What.

    (Update: Yup, I predicted this might grow on me and it definitely did "ooo ooo ooo oo". A half point improvement here.)


    4. Runaway - 7 (moved up from a 6.5)

    I know everyone is in love with this track. I'm not a fan of this repetitive chorus, which to me loses the beautiful harmonies and vocals of the rest of the track. The prechorus is crystalline and aching, and so is the back half of the chorus, which is warm and aching, "I'm gone I'm gone", but the chant just doesn't work for me (it's a little too heavy and leaden for me compared to the rest of the song). The beat is a nice downtempo type beat - there are so many things I like here, but it doesn't quite land for me. I can see this one continuing to move up my rankings though..

    (Update: a half point improvement but the "Runaway" chant still ruins my vibe every time on this song..as always, I feel more strongly about a track that is almost there for me then crushes my hopes and dreams with one musical decision.)


    5. Just As Usual - 4

    I feel like the rest of the album is a very specific vibe. This feels more like a soft rock track crashed the party. Not a fan of this one at all. It's well produced and well executed as I'd expect, but after so much I love on this mini album and the vocal show on every track, this was a disappointment for me. This was almost a no skip album for me, but I know I'd skip this yacht rock track every time. (Sorry, friends.)

    (Update: nope, this didn't grow on me. It made me even crankier that my excellent r&b party was crashed by Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran..this song is the only thing that keeps this from being a no-skip album.)


    Overall rating: the calculator says 7.3, which I think is pretty fair. There are songs I love that I think will move into my playing it all the time list even away from this launch, but there are others that never will.

    ..............................................................................................................perfume

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  • 1. Don't Fight the Feeling: 8,75/10

    I love the weird intro actually

    :pepe-hehe:


    I am weak for bass (it's esp better with headphones). The chorus is energetic.

    Sehun's part is highlight I really like it

    Ayo 24/7 all day

    gotta be gotta be okay

    :pepe-excited:

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    Overall it's groovy, enjoyable. I loved it at first listen


    2. Paradise : 10/10

    Starts with Baekhyun and Kai's beautiful falsettos. And goes on with an ethereal prechorus

    :omgr:


    Meanwhile the chorus is very catchy and groovy. And I like the bass.

    You are the only to make me do it like this

    :pepemusic:


    Everything together works so perfect. It's one of my fav Exo b-sides

    :lover1:


    3. No Matter: 8/10


    I love the bass. This song is not my fav on the album but it's actually very catchy. I just randomly start singing it lol


    4. Runaway: 100000.../10


    I love everything about it. Everything, every detail. The instrumentals, melody, vocals, vibe, lyrics.. From the intro to the outro. For example how everything slows down in prechorus and it's just guitar and Exo's heavenly vocals. The harmonisation in the chorus and how they sing I'm gone I'm gone.

    :pepe-sad::pepe-sad::pepe-sad:



    So let's run away...

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    5. Just as usual: 8,5/10


    It's laid back and sweet :3

    :pepecute:


    I really like the rap part with electric guitar. I'm addicted to the last chorus.. Kai's vocals are so fine

    :lover1:

  • Nice review

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • Nice. Looks like every song got increased rating in multiple listens...

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

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