Let's go with their 5th album
1. Love Shot
I have a love-hate relationship with this song. On one hand, There's nothing wrong with the track while on the other hand this song is so overrated if we compare it to Tempo.
Vocals are expected, Excellent. Rap is alright. There's a caveat :- The last chorus was dragging because it was the same for all the 3, they could've changed it and make it even more epic.
Rating :- 7.75/10
2. Tempo
There are no words to describe this masterpiece. Vocals are the HIGHLIGHT here. Amazing genre-blend. High production value, Rap is so good, Acapella part JUST TAKES IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
A true musical masterpiece.
Rating :- 10/10
3. Trauma
Good guitar opening with Suho's voice panning from left to right. Interesting percussion choice, very minimal at that too. I love the delay put on snare at 0:32, nice transition to Chen's part, little details matter.
Chorus is a little underwhelming at first, then levels up. 2nd Verse drags after some listens, The Introduction of additional guitar panned to the right in the 2nd chorus is a nice touch.
Good rap section. A little longer than I would have liked though, The synth bass addition is nice. This song is filled with so many times.
Rating :- 8/10
Nice laid back feel. Vocals as expected amazing. Harmonies are at the forefront here. Good song BUT not something I would hear everyday in any mood, I need to be in mood for it. Andreas Oberg did a fantastic job with this song.
Rating :- 7.75/10
5. Sign
Hard-hitting intro. Electropop at it's finest. Verses are good for ears, Chorus is alright. Nothing too special. But, 2nd Pre-chorus with Baekhyun is just off the hook, 2nd Chorus has an additional synth panned to left, Rap is good. Bridge is my favorite.
Nice ending with Sehun's voice.
Rating :- 8.25/10
6. Ooh La La La
Latin-vibe. I love subtle latin feel to it. Chill song. Pre-Chorus is amazing especially with that guitar in the back, the chorus is SO SEXY and Romantic. Interesting high-hat panning from left to right, definitely elevates the song in some way.
Kai's part turns it into Chill, Lo-fi type of vibe, Along with amazing vocal performance by the members.
Xiumin ending the song effortlessly.
Rating :- 9/10
7. Gravity
Using the same sample used in Power. SYNTHWAVE. This right here is the BEST B-SIDE OF ALL-TIME.....
Being completely objective,
The 2 part chorus is one of the most addictive choruses I have heard in all my years of listening.
For music nerds :- Listen to the breakdown at 1:24, THAT'S SOME GOOD STUFF RIGHT THERE.
Kyungsoo's voice deserves an award for the performance it has shown in this song.
For the first time in this album, Rap line went OFF especially Sehun and I was pleasantly shocked since you never expect him to MURDER IT LIKE THAT.
Rating :- 10/10
8. With You
An absolutely underrated song. High treble beat, very mellow and ambiant instrumental. The chorus is so UNEXPECTED, and then song resumes like nothing happened. How cool is that? I didn't vibe with rap part as much and also, the half-time trap influence was a welcome edition.
Rating :- 8/10
9. 24/7
Very COLD intro. Very Winter-ish. Falsetto is strong in this one, Melody is a little too repetitive with me. Bridge is amazing tho with snaps.
Rating 7.75/10
Intro is so different from the rest of the song. Interesting.
Good verses, Chorus is even better.
Chen perfectly executes the longest riff this album at 2:55.
Rating :- 8.5/10
11. Damage
Old EXO is back. I love the drum use. It's a little distorted. Gives it a gritty feel. Also, Big props to LDN Noise for choosing the best snare for this track. It has certain "Attack" to it.
Listen to those string-like synth 1:34, Heightens the excitement.
Also, Sehun's iconic E-X-O is back at 2:45 . I was so haply to hear that. It was greatly missed.
A strong B-side.
Rating :- 8.75/10
12. Smile On My Face
A really beautiful song. The delay on the snare is amazing. Gives it a longing feel. Also, Atmospheric pads help a lot.
Melody is so emotional. Good job everyone. One important thing :-
I really appreciate the way Suho executes his part from 3:05. Crystal clear vocals. No weakness detected. A bit too slow for my taste and I won't actively seek it out uness I am sad.
Rating :- 8.75/10
13. Oasis
I love the occasional stops in the instrumental. Trap instrumental is used very well. A true concert song. I can imagine them running on red desert towards oasis.
A very satisfying ending to the album.
Rating :- 8.5/10
Conclusion :- Easily one of the best albums released in KPOP. Choesive, Vocally superior, Good instrumentals.
A must listen album.
Rating :- 85.38%
