Ride THE WAVE OF9 with SF9

If you weren’t already, you’re gonna feel the summer heat with SF9’s 11th mini-album! On July 13, the group released THE WAVE OF9, showcasing title track “SCREAM” alongside five other bangers, including songs like “Driver” and “Butterfly.” The vibe fits the name because every song has an underlying psychedelic wave that is easy to get caught up in. 

SF9 is known for their mature concepts, and this mini-album continues the tradition while adding a party aspect and a new kind of sultriness. Even with only six of the members promoting, as Inseong and Youngbin have already left for military service and Rowoon is unavailable due to drama filming, the group does a fantastic job of creating the sound of summer. It's like the group took the listeners to an all-expense paid beach vacation, as each song has its own hypnotic beat and catchy vocals that give off a bright and luxurious feel. 

The first song on the album, “SCREAM,” is as fun as its music video. The playful and colorful visuals of the fake beach they're dancing on reflects the bubbly EDM, with both aspects staying effortlessly sexy in true SF9 fashion. The video is worth taking three minutes out of your day just to see the remaining members play around behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Lime green never looked so good!

“OK OK,” the second song on the tracklist, takes a smoother approach to a dance song. This song really brings in the ‘80s inspiration with layered arpeggiating synths and clap samples. The song has an upbeat vibe that will have anyone nodding along. 

Some songs have names that fit so perfectly with the music, it makes you wonder which one came first. “Summertime Bounce (Don’t Kill My Vibe)” is exactly this kind of song. The whole song is smooth, but the best part comes after the crack sound of a can being opened. The chorus that follows has the synths and heavy beats that have permeated the album so far, but the highlight is in the realistic guitar—it pushes the song right off the edge.

“Driver” is probably the catchiest song on this mini-album; it will have you singing “doo doo doo doo doo” before it's done. It is the perfect song to blare while taking a drive along the beach, day or night. From the first note until the final breakdown, “Driver” hooks you in and gives a glimpse at what it might feel like to be in the car with SF9. 

As the album progresses, it only gets better, with the last two songs hitting the perfect amounts of fun and sexy that have been building since the beginning. “Crazy Crazy Love” and “Butterfly” have the vocals and passion of great SF9 love songs, with the latter highlighting the more EDM vibe that we got a taste of in the title track. 

THE WAVE OF9 is hot like a summer day and cools you down with its refreshing psychedelic synths and the group’s smooth vocals. We have seen SF9 be serious, cute, and everything in between. This time, the mini-album shows us a casual cool side to the group that we are excited to see more of.

Edited by Aleena Faisal