Golden Child is back! Re-boot, the group’s first full album released on November 18, is a transformative album that marks a musical turning point for the boys.

Though they released their single “Spring Again” earlier this year, the wait for another full release from Golden Child was a long time coming. Outside of the single, Re-boot is the first release for the group since their 2018 EP WISH. From sub-units to solos to genres abound, Re-boot offers fans everything they’ve been waiting for and everything they’ve long known the group to be capable of, as the flip from Golden Child’s token fresh concept to a mature one sheds light on their talents as a group and as individuals.

“WANNABE,” the album’s title, is the slinkiest release from the group yet. With sinuous vocals and a tantalizing beat, “WANNABE” is the dance track that we’ve been waiting for from Golden Child. Aside from its EDM elements, it’s hard to pin “WANNABE” down to one genre; the track has a myriad of different sounds with everything from electric brass to wubs. The quiet piano breakdown at the beginning of the second verse is particularly hard-hitting in its simplicity compared to the rest of the layered track. Don’t be fooled though—despite its sensual tones, the track still has the same infectious energy that’s signature of Golden Child.

The music video for “WANNABE” is just as sultry as the song and features some of Golden Child’s most dynamic choreography yet. The sets and plot are simple, instead letting the members of Golden Child take front and center. As a music video it’s nothing breathtaking, but for Golden Child, whose videos are usually abundant in bright colors and ear-splitting smiles, “WANNABE” is striking. 

Check out the music video for “WANNABE” below.

The album opens with an instrumental-only intro in the form of “Re-boot,” a song that delivers on exactly what the title promises. The track starts out with bright string lines accompanied by a soft piano before the sounds of an old-time film roll kicks in and move the song to something darker. Around the halfway mark, the song does an electric one-eighty with a shift to a tone akin to Red Velvet’s “Peek-a-boo,” which says enough about the direction this album is headed. “WANNABE” picks up on this alluring note, setting the album off to a dangerously enjoyable start.

“Lately” picks up on the energy where “WANNABE” left off, but with a disco-pop flavor. The next track, “COMPASS,” is the first slower song on the album that starts off with a more solemn sound. Between its interesting tone and the vocalists’ harmonies, “COMPASS” has the potential to be the best song on the album, but for such a beautiful song, the chorus unfortunately falls rather flat. “No Matter What” by rappers Jangjun and TAG and featuring main vocalist Joochan is a track that lets Golden Child’s rapline show off their skills, and they should: the group honestly has incredible rappers. Joochan’s solo “A Song For Me” follows next and is a ballad in its purest form that showcases the vocalist’s smooth voice. The group’s previously released sweet single “Spring Again” is next on the tracklist before bursting into the electrifyingly retro “She’s My Girl.” Between its heavy synth hits and running bass line, “She’s My Girl” is everything you’d want from a 90s inspired track, unless you want something more like the 90s R&B-pop “Our Heaven” by Daeyeol, Seungmin, and Donghyun. Whereas Joochan’s solo takes the standard ballad route, main vocalist Y’s solo “Fantasia” is a more modern take on synth-pop that highlights the singer’s skills.

“Don’t run away” meshes Golden Child’s newfound mature sound with the energy of their older releases that results in an enjoyable fusion of the group’s past and present. Jaehyun, Jibeom, and Bomin close out the album with “Go Together,” a beautiful piano-led pop ballad that brings Re-boot to a quiet end.

In a year filled with groups trading in their past images for more mature concepts, it’s nice to see the forever-fresh Golden Child shed their skin as well. As a group, Golden Child is remarkably well-rounded, boasting some of the best young talent in the industry, and Re-boot puts the group’s abilities into sharp focus. Not only is Re-boot a great album in its own right, but it’s a great fit for the chameleonic Golden Child.