The Return of MILLIC

It’s been a long time since we last heard from MILLIC! While the Korean artist released a single last year and earlier this year, ~ marks MILLIC’s first album release since 2017’s VIDA, which featured the fan-favorite FANXY CHILD track “PARADISE.” It also marks MILLIC’s first album release on his label PAIX PER MIL, which he started back in 2020. Released on June 6, ~ features five new tracks, including the reunion of MILLIC with fellow FANXY CHILD member Crush on track four, “BLEACHING.”

The opening track is “EVERLASTING,” a 92-second instrumental track that sounds like discordant violins at first before a soft keyboard comes in and there’s a few basslines as well. It’s quite peaceful, lulling you into the rhythm without you realizing it at first.

“SEA ANEMONE” follows with kind of a jazzy beat to it. It’s not exactly a jazz track, but a nice fusion of a jazz sound and R&B, still going with the soft beat and rhythm. The track is entirely in English, with MILLIC’s voice never really rising; he sings the track quite calmly, and it’s perfect given the content of the lyrics. The song does pick up during the final minute where MILLIC sings the lines, “Love trust, creed, game / Life, time, bliss rest,” repeatedly, followed by “Crime, shame, fake, pain / Sick, fail, quit, hate,” repeated, as well. It’s a rather deep track, and it will have you contemplating your own life before you know it.

The two tracks were both used in the music video release for the EP, opening first with “EVERLASTING” before moving into “SEA ANEMONE.” It opens with a beautiful burst of color before leading into a black and white video of people playing on a rocky beach, watching the waves crash on the shore. From there, it switches to a scene where people are placing glass circles over MILLIC’s eyes as he lays in what appears to be a boat, surrounded by flowers. A burial at sea perhaps?

The “SEA ANEMONE” section then starts from there, switching to full color as the young boy seen in the first 92 seconds of the video runs along the shore. After a scene where it looks as if MILLIC’s body is floating toward the boy as the others place flowers on top of him, we see MILLIC rowing a motionless boat, with sheets used as rolling waves and a static background of a forest behind him. The video is very artsy, and I think a lot of it is supposed to be up to viewer interpretation. Are the people holding each other back? Making their way through life with the help of each other? You decide.

Track three on ~ is “CLIONE (feat. Sion),” which was pre-released back on April 24, 2023. There’s no music video for it, but the PAIX PER MIL official YouTube channel did upload an official lyric video. To continue with the sea theme of “SEA ANEMONE,” Clione is a genus of sea slugs, specifically the sea butterflies and sea angels. They’re found in colder waters, like the Arctic Ocean and cold areas of the North Atlantic Ocean. Once again, the lyrics for “CLIONE” are completely in English, but the vibe of this track differs from the previous two songs. I don’t want to say it’s dark, but there are some elements and sounds that perk your ears up; they make their presence known before leaving again, kind of like a Clione.

“BLEACHING (feat. Crush)” follows, and is the longest song on the EP. It’s also the first and only track to feature Korean, with the only English coming in at the refrain when MILLIC sings, “You’re always there for me / That’s enough for me / The light is on for me / You’re always there for me.” Up until that point, the track is very chill like its predecessors before it explodes, featuring lots of guitars and a drum. It reminds me a lot of some Oasis tracks, and I love it. When Crush begins singing in verse two, the rock elements disappear and it’s back to the keys and soft acoustic guitar until the outro. “BLEACHING” is definitely my favorite track on ~.

The album ends with “SEA SPARKLE (feat. HUNJIYA & Choi Junheui).” HUNJIYA is also signed to PAIX PER MIL, and her voice is absolutely stunning. Her vocal tone is so fitting for the soft R&B vibes of the track and will have you hooked in seconds. Choi Junheui’s voice comes in at verse three and is kind of a shock at first, carrying a raspier tone than HUNJIYA but still fitting seamlessly. “SEA SPARKLE” ends on a very chill note, with the sound of waves coming in every now and then.

It may seem a departure from the MILLIC release we all know and love, but that’s what makes it so perfect. I know I’ll be on the lookout for more MILLIC releases in the future.

Edited by Aleena Faisal