Hello, Xdinary Heroes!
Xdinary Heroes has made their long-awaited and highly anticipated comeback, a long seven months after the release of their addictive debut single “Happy Death Day” in December. The JYP Entertainment and Studio J rookie K-Pop/K-Rock band have released Hello, world!, an EP consisting of five new songs: “Test Me,” which also serves as the EP’s title track, “KNOCK DOWN,” “Sucker Punch!,” “Strawberry Cake,” and “Pirates” (as well as an instrumental version of “Test Me”).
Their debut track “Happy Death Day” was met with an incredibly positive response from K-Pop fans all over, with some even branding it as one of the best debuts ever in K-Pop. With this, the expectations surrounding Xdinary Heroes’s comeback have been extremely high but, as expected, Hello, world! certainly does not disappoint. It’s an EP that sounds like it came straight out of a movie soundtrack, with each song carrying a distinctive sound, perfect for films of different genres, that “solidify [their] musicality as a rock band with various musical traits and colors.” What's even more fun is that some of the songs reference movies, much like their debut song that shares a name with a Universal Pictures horror film series. "KNOCK DOWN" makes reference to Spiderman, "Sucker Punch!" is the title of a 2011 action/fantasy film, and of course, there are several films out there titled "Pirates.'' I'm not sure whether this is intentional, but it's quite a fun thing to look out for in Xdinary Heroes's work now and in the future.
Opening the EP is the title track “Test Me.” This pop-punk-rock track expresses major spy movie vibes, heard especially with the "ooh-ah" and “ooh-ooh ooh-ooh” sounds in the verses and chorus. This holds true too with the instrumental version of the track. Composed by keyboardists Jungsu and O.de and guitarist Junhan, "Test Me" carries a fun and upbeat melody with an exciting vocal and instrument arrangement. The change up in vocals, with the whisper of "freak" and "ttokkachi" in the pre-chorus, is also a great addition to the song; it’s as if no Xdinary Heroes track is complete without a unique vocal element.
Continuing with the theme of movies, the music video for "Test Me" is very reminiscent of movies and video games with its futuristic visuals that see Xdinary Heroes rebelling against a rigged music competition, opening the video with the question, “If you rig a rigged system, are you the villain or the hero?” In the video, Xdinary Heroes are unfairly disqualified from the music competition, so they devise a plan to overthrow the system and compete anyway, emerging victorious in the end. Like their label mates Stray Kids, Xdinary Heroes have built an image that fights against the system, and this music video further emphasises this. It’s such an impressive and creative music video with a strong theme of rebellion, while the lyrics share a message of being different and not wanting to do things other people want them to do.
As well as the music video, Xdinary Heroes also released a singalong guide for “Test Me” for you to watch, practice, and prepare for whenever you get the chance to see Xdinary Heroes perform "Test Me” live.
Following “Test Me,” the second song on the EP is "KNOCK DOWN," a track with a heavy bassline and sound that I could also imagine Stray Kids performing or covering someday. Imagine that, a Stray Kids and Xdinary Heroes collaboration. I’m speaking—or writing—this into existence! This track plays with an interesting melody that consists of an upbeat leadup to a chorus that just falls in tempo instead of continuing that upbeat rise into an energetic chorus. Normally I’m not a fan of songs that do this, but “KNOCK DOWN” is a welcomed exception.
After “KNOCK DOWN,” the third track on the EP is the upbeat rock track “Sucker Punch!” The intricate sounds of the guitar throughout add such an interesting vibe, particularly the guitar melody that opens the song and then the change-ups during the verses.
The fourth track of Hello, world! is “Strawberry Cake.” This track has an interesting, haunting melody, with a cool yet eerie vocal moment in the verses. It’s the perfect fit for a film of the horror-thriller genre. The track really highlights the members’ vocals and instrument ability; it also has an impressive guitar shred section. I personally like the breakdown in the chorus where we can just hear a bass and drums while Jooyeon and Jungsu lead with high-registered, almost scream-like vocals.
The penultimate track on Hello, world! is “Pirates,” my personal favorite track on the EP. “Pirates” opens with a beautiful piano composition and has a sound that is fit for a film of the silent movie era but with a modernized twist. Meanwhile, The chorus and bridge sound perfect for a modern Hollywood movie. It’s a song that really highlights the members' vocal ability.
It’s crazy to think that this is just the beginning of Xdinary Heroes’s career; this long-awaited comeback has been just as extraordinary as the band's name suggests. Hello, world! is such an impressive and creative comeback that really highlights the strengths and talent Xdinary Heroes has as both a group and as individual musicians. Like their debut single “Happy Death Day,” their sound might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you love pop, punk, rock, and a combination of all three, then you will love Hello, world! If this is what we are hearing at just the beginning of their career, then I can’t wait to see and hear what they’ve got prepared for future comebacks.
Edited by Kelly Sipko