DAY6 Shakes Things Up with Entropy
Only a mere three months after their last mini-album, DAY6 is back with a new release. The Book of Us: Entropy, the band’s third full album, consists of 11 new tracks spanning everything from EDM-disco to grunge rock and proves to be DAY6’s most daring release yet.
After the seemingly never-ending wait between last December’s Remember Us: Youth Pt. 2 and July’s The Book of Us: Gravity, fans were stunned at the sudden announcement of a full album amidst DAY6’s ongoing Gravity world tour. In their promotions, the band admitted to having prepared music heavily in the past year. The Book of Us: Entropy is the result of not only DAY6’s endless efforts, but also their will to experiment with their sound.
Sweet, Sweet Chaos
In the days leading up to the release of the album, DAY6 stated that their new title track, “Sweet Chaos,” would have the fastest BPM (beats per minute, or tempo) of any DAY6 title yet. Between this news and such a foreboding song title, expectations were high for the release. That being said, “Sweet Chaos” exceeded my expectations in every way.
Starting off with siren-like synths and pulsing percussion, “Sweet Chaos” literally explodes into song. With its lightning-fast tempo and blaring instrumentals, the song is definitely powerful but more than anything, it’s just so interesting to listen to. DAY6 has a knack for utilizing minor key signatures perfectly, and “Sweet Chaos” is a prime example of this. With such a high-energy song, the minor key is what gives the track its slightly off-kilter feeling. Pair this on-edge feeling with the unexpected chord progressions throughout the song (such as the transition from the verse to the pre-chorus into the chorus), and “Sweet Chaos” is exactly the type of roller coaster ride it should be. The surprises, however, don’t stop there: with such a focus on driving guitars and drums, the smattering of old-timey, jive piano in the chorus adds that extra frenzied touch to the song. By the time the unexpected half-time-tempo bridge hits, you’ll be wondering how DAY6 could possibly have any more surprises hiding up their sleeves (spoiler alert: they have plenty).
The music video for “Sweet Chaos” is understandably one of the band’s more simplistic as they filmed it in the midst of a world tour. Dressed to the nines and with their hair slicked back, DAY6 enters the stage in a stark monochromatic filter that explodes into color in the second verse. The sets are also minimalistic, with most of the video carried by special effects and creative camera angles (aside from the five members’ brooding stares, of course). On the surface, the video is certainly not the band’s most exciting, but it does fit the song and “Sweet Chaos” is literally the furthest possible thing from boring.
The Rest of the Album
In an album that could be interpreted as the journey of a relationship from beginning to end, The Book of Us: Entropy starts its tale with “Deep in love,” an ‘80s arena rock anthem filled with heavy guitar riffs and power vocals. “Sweet Chaos” sees that love blossom into something all-consuming before DAY6 raises a red flag in the grooviest way possible with “EMERGENCY.” The track, written and composed by Jae, can best be described as an EDM/spoken word fusion with a disco edge. Yes, you read that right. “Rescue Me” cuts into the tracklist like a knife, with the heaviest guitar hook in DAY6’s entire discography that’s evocative of Western rock bands in the early 2000s—a style that fits Sungjin’s vocals particularly well. “365247” maintains the grittiness from “Rescue Me” while kicking it down a couple notches, trading in heavy vocals for slinky falsettos. In a release filled with disco influences, this track features one of the best bass lines on the album. But the real highlight? Drummer Dowoon’s vocals in the bridge.
Entropy takes its first real turn with “About Now,” a soft, introspective track with a hint of a ‘70s pop-rock vibe. The song—another Jae contribution that’s about as far from “EMERGENCY” as it is possible to be—reflects on a past love, musing what the other might be doing at any given time. Anyone who’s gone through a breakup will easily be able to relate to the feeling of dwelling on how a past loved one carries on with life. Just when you thought DAY6 were done with the genre curveballs, they deliver the best elevator music you’ll ever hear with “OUCH,” a track that carries the same muted mood as “About Now” but injects it with a bossa nova flavor. On top of its bossa nova feel, there are hints of reggaeton in the beat and Young K’s rap. And no, he is not saying, “You’re my ba-na-na-na-na,” though the band did poke fun at this during promotions.
“Not Fine” is an interesting song that starts off sounding like any song you’d hear on Western pop radio these days before crashing into a standard DAY6 rock-influenced chorus that definitely makes it one of the easier listens on the album. “Stop Talking” begins as a relatively forgettable song, mainly because it’s so tame compared to the rest of the Entropy, but this changes with Jae’s guitar solo at the end—something not often found in DAY6’s records. Vocally, the members of DAY6 frequently shine, but outside of concerts we don’t often get to appreciate their instrumental prowess. It’s nice to see Jae have this moment.
“Not Mine” starts off darker than it ends up being, thanks to the orchestral string synths. Like “Stop Talking,” it’s an okay song though not a standout on the album; however, Young K’s note towards the end is certainly impactful. The album concludes with a heartfelt Wonpil composition, “Like a flowing wind.” Out of the entire release, this track feels the most familiar to the rest of the band’s discography. Between its sincere lyrics, soft electric guitar, and the emotionally-charged delivery from all the vocalists, “Like a flowing wind” is the comforting track Entropy needed after such a roller coaster ride of an album.
All in all, The Book of Us: Entropy is admittedly not my favorite DAY6 release. Though some tracks like “Sweet Chaos” and “About Now” have become instant personal favorites, a lot of the album did not resonate with me like I’d hoped it would. What I can appreciate, however, is DAY6’s guts for experimenting with their sound. Though the back-and-forth with genres gave me some whiplash and ultimately detracted from the album as a whole, I’m still blown away by the band’s ability to incorporate such starkly different influences into their music. With the exception of “Like a flowing wind,” every single song sounds like nothing you’ve heard from the band before, which is not an easy feat. Truly, no one is doing it like DAY6.