EVERGLOW Maintains Fierce Aura in “DUN DUN”
If the formula works, why change it? EVERGLOW has been known for their fierce, girl crush concepts since debut and their latest comeback is no exception. A year after debut, title track “DUN DUN” and accompanying mini-album reminiscence is their first comeback that is not just a single, heightening anticipation for the release. If you’re a fan of EVERGLOW’s style so far, you definitely won’t be let down.
“DUN DUN”
On first impression, “DUN DUN” feels somewhat like a combination of debut “Bon Bon Chocolat” and “Adios,” with a driving tempo fitting for their debut and a heavy emphasis on the bass reminiscent of “Adios.” The song may take a listen or two to really sink in, but that’s not anything new with EVERGLOW, since all of the musical elements can be difficult to comprehend at first. Initially, I wasn’t very impressed with the buildup into the chorus since the song repeats the exact formula of “Adios”; rather than building up to the drop in the chorus, there’s a halting of the melody for a single vocal line before breaking into the more intense chorus, which can be a bit jarring initially. But even so, it catches on quite quickly and the formula has proven wildly successful for EVERGLOW in the past, so it’s really no surprise that the musical structure of “DUN DUN” would be familiar. Regardless of your opinion of the repetition, there’s no doubt that EVERGLOW delivers another banger and power anthem in “DUN DUN” and that this song is going to only bring even more notoriety to the rookie group.
And to no one’s surprise, the music video only heightens the power the song has on its own. With flawless outfit choices and a fierce set design, the music video for “DUN DUN” adds a significant amount of beauty and impact overall to the song. Much like “Adios,” there are a number of dance shots set up on larger-than-life sets, with the girls donned in all black powerful outfits that are uniform but have just the right amount of subtle differences. Splashes of color are used here and there either in the set or in outfits to emphasize the power behind the dark theme. And of course, the choreography is unique and hard-hitting, a perfect fit for the song itself. I’ve always been in love with the aesthetic EVERGLOW portrays in their music videos and “DUN DUN” is no exception to that rule.
The Album
Yes, reminiscence is a mini-album, but it unfortunately only contains four new songs. The album kicks off with “Salute,” a homage to ladies everywhere with a mixture of a hip-hop influenced beat and a preppier pop sound in the chorus. The mixture is interesting at the very least and has a bit of a polarizing effect on listeners. Regardless, it’s nice to have a new “‘atta girl” anthem.
“Player” switches up the theme with a heavier hip-hop influence throughout the beat and a series of accidentals in the chorus that can be a bit harsh and somewhat clash with the otherwise smooth vocals used through the rest of the song. Closing out the album is “No Lie,” a much more classic pop song with a light Latin dance influence that is infectious. The vocals really shine through in this song since the accompanying melody isn’t as overpowering as it is in the other B-sides and will likely be the most popular on the album since it has a particularly predictable and successful formula, much like the title.
I’m a bit disappointed that in their career so far, EVERGLOW hasn’t been given the opportunity to release more than a handful of songs at a time. I think that they’ve definitely mastered their image and will continue to capitalize on it, but I’d also love to see more of what they can do musically in their B-sides. reminiscence is a decent album release, but I still think it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to EVERGLOW. Hopefully we will see even more from them going forward.