ONEUS Laments in the “Twilight”
After a strong and popular debut, ONEUS has made their first return to the Korean music scene. The anticipation for their return was high, with fans unsure of what to expect. It was going to be difficult for ONEUS to top “Valkyrie,” but does “Twilight” live up to expectations?
The Title: “Twilight”
“Twilight” certainly has an interesting musical makeup; for starters, the song begins with the chorus. I had expected a different formula for the song since “Valkyrie” had the same type of effect, but it’s unprecedented in K-Pop to hear the chorus as the first part of the song. Still, it’s not immediately clear that that portion of the song is the chorus until later, showing how effortless the transitions in the song are from start to finish. At first I wasn’t extremely fond of the track itself, but if you take a step back and dissect all the elements that go into it, it’s easy to gain an appreciation for the production.
The visuals are no joke, either. The visual production and special effects have been taken up a notch, with the setting of the video being a beautiful antique mansion. The choreography is memorable and sharp, especially the shot where the members lift up Hwanwoong to reach for the sun. The impact of the choreography hasn’t fully been revealed yet, but once it is I’m sure it will be breathtaking. ONEUS has proven they are the group to beat when it comes to rookies, and “Twilight” has continued to prove that.
The Album
I was very excited for ONEUS’s release, since I’ve been fascinated by their different musical style since their debut. RAISE US begins with “Intro: Time,” a lively track that flows nicely into the title. The musical direction of the album shifts for the first B-side, the light and sweet “English Girl.” The track is a little disappointing, since it’s pretty generic all around. The album then transitions into “Bing Bing,” an equally light dance track that has a higher energy, but feels like a logical step from the previous track.
“White Night” takes a step in a different direction with a much slower, sensual tempo. The sweet lullaby and R&B mix is where this album really shines, giving a chance for the vocal line to take a step into the spotlight. The album ends with track “Now,” a heavily EDM influenced song that feels like a nice conclusion to the album itself.
While there isn’t a ton of musical diversity on this album, it does have a sense of cohesiveness. The title track is the perfect fit as a title, and it is the best song on the album. Still, ONEUS shows us through this album that they are talented not just in their performance, but their vocals and rap as well. ONEUS will likely be one of the rookie groups to beat going forward.