TAEMIN Returns with Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1
Fans can rejoice as TAEMIN has finally returned with his third full album, Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1. Consisting of a total of nine tracks, fans need to buckle in and prepare for the high intensity that this album and TAEMIN himself bring. Prior to the release of the album, “2 KIDS” was pre-released to set the stage for this current album. Upon the release of the photos for the album, fans knew that TAEMIN was going to bring out a much darker and sultry vibe to Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1. Keeping it still within the realm of artistic and complex concepts that TAEMIN is known for, this marks a new era for TAEMIN and he is surely not here to play any games.
Tracklist:
“Criminal:
“Black Rose” featuring Kid Milli
“Strangers”
“Waiting For”
“Famous (Korean Version)”
“Clockwork”
“Just Me And You”
“Nemo”
“2 KIDS”
“Criminal”
If there is one place where TAEMIN does not disappoint in his releases it’s that he always brings the most intricate and sophisticated concepts to the table. While many are used to seeing the SHINee member being his adorable maknae self when he is with his members, the moment he gets his opportunity to shine solo, TAEMIN takes on a much darker and more serious persona that many simply cannot resist. “Criminal” does not disappoint in this department and is right up his alley in terms of style and feel. “Criminal” is all about TAEMIN’s innocence leaving him as he falls deeper and deeper into the dangerous, risky, and painful type of love. In a way, he describes enjoying this feeling. He describes the object of his affections as the criminal for doing this to him.
Taking a deeper dive into the song itself, “Criminal” is a pop and R&B dance track that places heavy emphasis on the synth sounds, giving it a futuristic sound. There is a definite addictive and catchy quality to the song that is so smooth, it’ll be hard to skip when it comes on.
The music video is visual-heavy, with rich and dark colors being the emphasis to the song. As TAEMIN is known for his extraordinary and effortless dancing abilities, “Criminal” spares no moment by placing a large emphasis on the choreography for the song. One of the key points that fans should take note of when it comes to the choreography is how TAEMIN incorporates movements that look like he is in handcuffs or his hands are tied together. It should also be kept in mind that there are some images shown that are rather triggering and explicit, such as the plastic bag over TAEMIN’s face and depictions of blood. Altogether, viewers of the music video get to witness a more unhinged and untamed version of the soloist that many have not quite seen before. While most of the K-Pop industry is still heavily in the bright and summery type of concepts, TAEMIN’s “Criminal” rings in the season of much more dark and mature comebacks for this fall.
The Album
This is only the first part of two for TAEMIN’s Never Gonna Dance Again series, yet he brings together a satisfying album from beginning to end. Like his previous releases, there is a nice blend of R&B, Pop, and electro-funk tracks that take listeners on a journey. For those who are more into his addictive dance-inducing songs, the Latin-influenced song of “Waiting For” and the androgynous-runway inspired “Famous” are the perfect fit. The fantasy-esque song of “Black Rose” will induce chills thanks to its hip-hop beats, Kid Milli’s flow of rap, and the use of string instruments coming together in this experimental song. The rest of the tracks of the album (such as “Strangers” and “Nemo”) are more R&B-ballad centered, slowing down the album to give listeners the chance to breathe in between tracks.
Nonetheless, this album is such a satisfying release from TAEMIN and it’ll be interesting to see which direction Never Gonna Dance: Act 2 is going to take. Perhaps an album more focused on getting listeners on their feet and dancing from beginning to end? We will all just have to wait and see when the second part releases when the date is announced! This album is another job well done for TAEMIN.