PENTAGON Invites Us To Their New World
After a 10 month hiatus, the self-produced boy group PENTAGON is back and they are more than ready to show a new side of themselves. With leader Hui enlisting for his military service last February, PENTAGON is promoting their twelfth mini-album, [IN:VITE U], as eight—with members Jinho, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Yanan, Yuto, Kino, and Wooseok. For Jinho, this will be his first comeback with the group since returning from his military enlistment this past November.
Many things make the release of [IN:VITE U] a particularly special one. Not only does it mark Jinho's return, but it also marks the start of a new era for PENTAGON, who aim to show a more mature and refined version of themselves with this release. The album name evokes this concept, with a double meaning of not only inviting listeners into this new world of PENTAGON but falling quickly for who you meet there. During the media showcase for the album, the MC shared the phrase “a dangerous yet attractive invitation,” which, after listening to [IN:VITE U], is the perfect way to describe the album. The six songs introduce us to a new PENTAGON, giving us a sound that differs from their last release, LOVE or TAKE, in many ways. Shinwon touched on this in the showcase, saying, “We wanted to show something new, different from what we showed previously, in ‘Shine’ and ‘DO or NOT,’ where we sang honest, confident love. We wanted to show something different this time. We wanted to let many people know that PENTAGON is an all-rounder group capable of every genre.”
[IN:VITE U] shows PENTAGON leaving behind their previous releases' bright and boyish concepts in favor of more complex subject matters and sounds. The title track “Feelin' Like,” written by Jinho, Kino, and Wooseok, shows the mature concept that PENTAGON aims to achieve with this comeback. Carried by a funky deep bass throughout, the song is inspired by the Greek myth of Galatea, a woman who wakes up by Pygmalion's kiss. This theme is evident in the lyrics and the Ancient Greek imagery in the music video, as well as the choreography. The sculpture-like movements, as described by Kino, are sharp and suave, giving off a cool vibe. Every aspect of the title track has been thought out carefully, making for a song that is catchy and a performance that is addictive to watch.
The rest of the album showcases more of PENTAGON's maturity by taking us through various genres. After “Feelin' Like,” listeners are led into alternative rock sounds with “One Shot.” Written and composed by Shinwon and Wooseok, the song is about the one shot you have left before trying something again for the last time. Then comes “The Game,” where Wooseok had a hand in writing and composing again. This may be the most versatile track on the album, as it starts with opera singing and has opera elements sprinkled throughout the song.
Kino helped to write and compose the next two tracks on the album, “Call My Name” and “Sparkling Night.” “Call My Name” plays off the story Kino presented to us in his song "Voicegasm" from his mixtape, but the story goes deeper this time. It has a vibe similar to “Feelin' Like,” as the deep bass is prevalent throughout the song. While we get funk with “Call My Name,” “Sparkling Night” is quite the opposite. Thanks to its soft pop and synth sounds, the song gives us feelings of nostalgia. Yeo One shared with the media that, not only is the song a favorite among the members but, “it is a song about the Ferris wheel, where you cannot get off even though you know you should since the scenery you watch inside it is so beautiful.” The album closes out with Wooseok's song “BAD,” which he shared as a farewell track. The lyrics speak for themselves, as the song is about a heartbreaking love story, a story told to the sound of electric beats and an acoustic guitar.
[IN:VITE U] is an album with songs that, although different, still flow together seamlessly. It is a solid body of work for PENTAGON, who have showcased how fearless they are with their music. It's a refreshing new take for the boy group and has us eagerly accepting this invite into their new world.