DAY6 (Even of Day) Changes it up with Right Through Me
DAY6 (Even of Day) is back with their sophomore release Right Through Me, a more organic follow-up album that sees the sub-unit continue to experiment with styles while harnessing the still-kicking retro sound in a way only DAY6 could.
“Right Through Me”: Heartbreak...But Make it Groovy!
As a full band, DAY6 has always had a knack for disguising sad songs with an upbeat sound. Similarly, they’ve always had a penchant for trying their hand at any genre and succeeding. In “Right Through Me,” a song about feeling no longer needed by a loved one, the group channels everything from pop to rock to jazz all while set to a ‘90s East Coast hip-hop beat. It’s a departure from their previous synth-heavy sound in last September’s “Where the sea sleeps,” with Wonpil adopting a more keyboard-esque sound for the track, leaving the heart of the song in the vocals and its beats. Overall, this gives the track a more organic feel with a hint of jazz, sounding almost like something that could be found on a HEIZE album.
Though different from “Where the sea sleeps,” the song follows much the same vein overall. It’s not exactly a track that packs a punch, but it’s an enjoyable song all the same—albeit one of the safer cuts on the album. There’s not much build, nor are there any true standout moments in the song, but it serves its purpose well as a second release (and a general public-friendly tune). In an interview with NME, Young K mentioned that they wanted the song to be one listeners could empathize with and in that respect, the resigned-but-still-kicking message in “Right Through Me” knocks it out of the park.
The music video for “Right Through Me” takes this message of accepted heartbreak and runs with it, showing the boys in various saddening situations. Young K suffers from a breakup, Wonpil presumably feels isolated by his family, and Dowoon appears to be experiencing depression which leads to him losing his dog. Much like how the message of the song is what carries it, the acting in the video adds a needed personal touch; though there’s not much build in the track itself, the climax in the video shows the members cathartically succumbing to their heartbreak. Wonpil—who recently starred in his first musical Midnight Sun—particularly stands out (admittedly, as someone who is half-Wonpil-biased, his breakdown was almost hard to watch).
The overall coloring of the video has a grungy tinge to it, mostly composed of darkened shots with splashes of neon color. This is all brought together in the main shots of the band performing in a bright shop window as a crowd looks on in the black of night, which ends with Young K symbolically breaking out of the claustrophobic set at the end of the video. It’s not necessarily a video I plan to have on repeat, but the beautiful visuals and incredible acting have definitely left their mark on me.
A Sense of Solidarity
I’m going to start off this review by saying that all I ever want from any DAY6 release is a Dowoon line. And in comparison to The Book of Us : Gluon which left me without even the slightest crumb, Right Through Me feels like a four-course meal. Add to that Young K switching out his bass for an electric guitar, and you have an album full of satisfying twists and turns.
The album starts off with “WE,” a track that fittingly sounds like a blend of the unit’s previous album and DAY6’s recent The Book of Us : Negentropy. It’s a track that suits Young K’s voice particularly well and it’s the kind of inspiring song that’s easy to like, making for a solid intro to the album and a satisfying transition into “Right Through Me.”
“WALK” still has a synth-focused sound but the heavy downbeat gives the track more of a rock feel. This gives Dowoon more of a presence in the usually melody-driven landscape of Even of Day, which is a nice change. Where the song really shines though is the bridge, when the instruments cut away to Wonpil singing overtop of a piano line, then building with Young K as the beat drops back in, before unexpectedly landing in an acapella “la la la” chorus that, if you listen closely, features Dowoon on the bass part (I might be imagining it, but everything in me hopes that I am right.)
The album continues with the closest thing to a ballad that the album offers in “all the things you wanted,” which takes its inspiration from early ‘90s pop. This sound has been popular in the K-Music scene as of late, showing up in releases like SEVENTEEN’s latest album. With key changes abound, the track is a little hard to follow at times, but the harmonies in the final chorus are nothing short of breath-taking, especially when Wonpil and Young K flip between carrying the melody.
“from the ending of a tragedy” is not only easily my favorite song on the album, but also one of my favorite DAY6 releases in the past two years. In an album by a sub-unit where the synths tend to take the focus, the heavy guitars in the track hit like a swift punch to the gut. It’s a sound I’ve been missing from DAY6 for a while and to hear it in an Even of Day release took me by surprise. Even more surprising is how much the track evokes feelings of 2000s Western rock, and as a ‘90s kid that’s half-Young K-biased, his soaring vocals in the chorus had me feeling like I was nostalgically floating on cloud nine from the first listen. The only thing I can think that would make this song better is hearing DAY6 leader Sungjin try his hand at singing it.
“Home Alone” has an ‘80s synth-rock sound to it and the opening left me with relatively low expectations for it (especially following “from the ending of a tragedy”). That being said, I had to pause the song for a good minute when Dowoon showed up in the bridge. His deeper vocal color brings so much to the table for the overall high register found in the group and though it’s only one line, “Home Alone” utilizes his deep timbre so well.
The album concludes with “LOVE PARADE” which is hard to pin down to one genre. If you forced me to describe it, I think the closest I could come would be comparing it to the ending credits song to a musical-turned-movie. Both the instrumentation and the vocals have a triumphant tone to them, so it’s no surprise that the build in the bridge follows a similar pattern. Like “WALK,” it starts with the backing track dialing back to only the drum beat as the vocals build starting with Wonpil, then gaining momentum with Young K, then shifting back to a very high falsetto from Wonpil, before Dowoon unexpectedly comes in with the final blow. The song makes a wonderful finale for the album, complete with fireworks that only feel too appropriate in a release with so much Dowoon.
I expected Right Through Me to follow suit with Gluon, but now I’ve learned that I should never underestimate DAY6’s abilities to change it up, whether it be as a full band or as a sub-unit. By experimenting with their sound yet again, Even of Day has brought some of the summer’s most sympathetic and bright songs, turning even some of our most heartbreaking days into cause for celebration.