A.C.E’s Aim To Go Higher Seems To Be A Success With SIREN:DAWN
Tracklist:
INTRO : Miserere Mei Deus (We Fell Down)
Atlantis
Higher
Chasing Love
Story
Let’s just put it out there at the very beginning: when A.C.E does something, they give their all and it can’t go wrong. They are extremely talented, refreshing, and I feel like they found their very unique niche within the music industry.
The five all-rounders dropped two “A.C.E Project” songs earlier this year: “Fav Boyz,” a collaboration with Steve Aoki and Thutmose, and “Down,” a collaboration with the duo Grey. But SIREN:DAWN is A.C.E’s first mini-album after nine months, following the fan-favorite HJZM: The Butterfly Phantasy.
SIREN:DAWN implied something different from the very beginning; its sound shows a new but still very recognizable side and pace of Jun, Donghun, Wow, Byeongkwan, and Chan, while the promotion period also started unconventionally. They revealed the music video for the title song “Higher” and performed the B-side track “Atlantis,” written and composed by PENTAGON’s Kino, before the official album release.
Following the ethereal teaser photos, the tracklist revealed that Donghun and Chan also participated in creating B-side “Story,” making K-Pop fans in and outside of the fandom more excited and curious about the album. SIREN:DAWN has already topped iTunes’ Worldwide Album Chart and K-Pop Music Album Chart, and it debuted at No. 4 on Billboard's Next Big Sound Chart this week.
As the Aristotle quote, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light” suggested in the teaser, SIREN:DAWN is pretty tragic, but it’s been done so poetically and artistically that somehow it still feels empowering.
The #SIREN_DAWN Concept Photos
When it comes to concepts and concept photos, A.C.E never fails to bring something eye-catching and memorable. That being said, the concept photos for SIREN:DAWN also deserve their own review category and would get at least 20 out of 10 points. The photos show the members as very beautiful, enchanting, mythical beings. Their genderfluid styling and stunning visuals created some art pieces that could hang in any gallery or be a part of any luxury fashion magazine’s editorial.
The #SUN photos seem bright and fresh; a little vintage with a sparkling modern take. Their soft makeup matches the pop of colors in their hair and the blooming flowers around them. The #ECLIPSE series is more charismatic, a little darker, and more Victorian. Finally, the #MOON photos turned completely dark, with the flowers around them also dried out. All these concepts were followed by a “siren” version, where they slowly sunk deeper and deeper in water, representing their sorrow and turning them into the sirens they are throughout the album. During #SIREN_SUN, they are floating in shallow water, #SIREN_ECLIPSE has a gloomy vibe with the darkness and the depth of the water being a lot scarier, while #SIREN_MOON has them completely sunk underwater, creating some stunning photography. It looks like underwater concept photos will also become an A.C.E characteristic.
We also can’t leave out the dazzling #VEILED pictures that look straight up like a project from an edgy fashion designer. I really enjoyed how they played with the lights and created this mysterious, strong image with the black and red veils covering their naked upper bodies.
The Title Song: “Higher”
After “Take Me Higher” in 2018, A.C.E wants to go even “Higher” in 2021. Honestly, my initial reaction was a little underwhelming, but as the title song slowly built up, I started to appreciate and understand the confusion I felt at the beginning. By the end, “Higher” sounds unmistakable like an A.C.E title song. It starts softer than I was anticipating, and the verses and hooks stay simple throughout the song. But the instrumentation, using the familiar bass and house elements, builds up a more dramatic chorus, giving the nice melody a powerful take. And while there are many things going on in the background, the vocals tie it all together.
“Higher” is a tragic love story of a mermaid, singing of their yearning desire that seems to be represented by the moon in this concept. The post-chorus says:
“Yeah, I'm going higher / Drawing you on the crashing waves / Yeah, I'm going higher / Dancing alone in the light of the falling moon.”
These lines feel as if they are escaping from the deep and getting closer to the surface where the moonlight finally hits them. How sad, majestic, and poetic is that? The way they tell and showcase this hazy tale, I feel like we got to see a more mature side of A.C.E.
The Music Video: “Higher”
The “Higher” music video corresponds to the contrast within the song very well. It’s soft where it’s fitting, but intense where it needs to be. The video starts out with the boys lying on the ground, looking longingly up to the moon. The sun and the eclipse also show up in the video, completing all the teaser phases. I especially liked that the background wasn’t just “there” while the members showed off their dazzling signature dance style, but it actually added a lot to the story.
A.C.E didn’t fail to bring their usual dreamy aesthetic to this music video either. The styling and the members’ stunning visuals just fit the merman and siren concept way too well. And, yes, it was also pretty sensual.
The Album: SIREN:DAWN
I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed an intro track as much as “INTRO : Miserere Mei Deus (We Fell Down).” The title is Latin for “Have mercy on me, O God” and is part of Psalm 51. It sounds ethereal and is a great setting for the whole album. The performance version also flows into the starting position for “Higher” pretty nicely.
The second track on the album, “Atlantis” is a rock song with some hidden hip-hop elements that was co-composed and written by PENTAGON’s Kino. It’s another sad love song about broken trust that cannot be taken back. I personally really loved this song from the first second; it brings a new sound to the boys while still allowing them to showcase their vocal abilities.
“Atlantis” is followed by the title track “Higher” right before another powerful love story. “Chasing Love” is a dark R&B-pop track about a seemingly complicated and one-sided love. Once again, this is a track where we can clearly enjoy the members’ vocals as the song calms down a little during the bridge before continuing with the powerful melody.
The last track on the mini-album is “Story,” co-composed by Donghun and written exclusively by him and Chan. It is a retro-pop ballad about saving all the stories to keep the smile of their loved one even as time goes by. The parts where they sing, “Walk freely through the blue sky / Let's leave each other's names as stars in the sky,” and, “The moment in which we rest together is waiting for us,” gives me some afterlife thoughts which, in my mind, makes this track just as tragically beautiful as the rest of the album.
I just have one question left for A.C.E—okay, probably a lot more, but for now: Will dawn be followed by other periods of the day in this siren concept? Because I’m all for it.