TWS Keeps on Rocking in Second EP ‘SUMMER BEAT!’
TWS is back for the summer after their successful January debut. Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon, and Kyungmin came to beat the summer heat with a six-track EP. Released on June 24, ‘SUMMER BEAT!’ contains the title track “If I’m S, Can You Be My N?,” the pre-release “hey! hey!,” and four B-sides.
Tracklist:
“YOU+ME=7942”
“If I’m S, Can You Be My N?”
“hey! hey!”
“Double Take”
“Keep On”
“Fire Confetti”
Say “hey! hey!” to the Pre-Release
On June 5, TWS added a rock twist to their school concept in the pre-release “‘hey! hey!.’” “plot twist” composers T-SK, Glenn, Heon Seo (헌서), WASURENAI, YouthK, and Jin Jeon join Anchor in giving TWS yet another catchy track. With the Westminster Quarters chime signalling the end of the semester, TWS jump into their summer break with lots of energy.
The lyrics celebrate finding companionship and staying together throughout the future. “We’ll be each other’s compass / We don’t stop / Even when we are out of breath,” they sing as guitar strums ring out.* In the music video, TWS travels across Hong Kong during an exhilirating summer day. “hey! hey!” brings out a fiery drive that kept me feeling pumped the whole song.
TWS Asks a Question: “If I’m an S, Can You Be My N?”
More “plot twist” composers return for “If I’m an S, Can You Be My N?.” Glenn, Heon Seo (헌서), WASURENAI, Jin Jeon, Building Owner, and Nmore once again create something packed with energy and charm. The lyrics discuss attraction between opposites. They emphasize this contrast in personality that oddly helps them stay connected.
“Is there a magnet in the word ‘we’?,” TWS asks.* The “N” and “S” in the song’s title could refer to the north and south poles, or the “N” and “S” as indicated in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Intuition (“N”) and sensing (“S”) sit at opposite ends of a spectrum that details how people gather information from their surroundings.
With the music video filmed in west Tokyo, TWS uses another school setting as the backdrop to their teen adventures. Though the song talks about love, it’s friendship at the center of the video. It shows Shinyu preparing for an athletic event as the rest of the group cheers him on. During his big moment, they collectively boost him up to extreme heights (literally!).
The B-Sides: Fun with Some Surprises
The first track on the album, “YOU+ME =7924,” is an instant 10/10 for me. It feels like I’ve been transported to the credits of a coming-of-age movie. The piano keys give such a hopeful impression and TWS’s singing here emanates pure happiness.
Track four, “Double Take,” offers something different from the EP’s summer vibes. The title fits my first reaction, as nothing prepared me for this change after “hey! hey!” It centers more rap and some vocal fry. It could use another verse to help it from becoming too repetitive, but otherwise it’s nice to hear something new!
When I read “KENZIE” in the credits of “Keep On,” I knew, “Oh, this has got to be good.” Anything from the SM Entertainment songwriter and producer grabs my attention. “Keep On” is a youth anthem with acoustic guitar and bursts of pop. The EP’s final track, “Fire Confetti,” is a nice middle ground between overly energetic and calm. It doesn’t bring the energy to a complete halt but feels like an end.
The Verdict: A Fine Follow-Up
Anyone who enjoyed “plot twist” (you’d be hard pressed to find someone without the song stuck in their heads) will likely find themselves at home with “If I’m S, Can You Be My N?” The songs are similar, but not at the risk of sounding like a rehash. I love the ending tradeoff between Youngjae, Shinyu, and then Dohoon. The little light sounding twang makes it finish on such a jovial vibe.
The B-sides feel like summer. Aside from “Double Take,” which feels like the outlier, this EP did deliver summer beats indeed. TWS doesn’t stray too far from their debut, but why change something that worked so well to begin with?
*Note: Lyrics taken from English captions in the official music videos.
“If I’m S, Can You Be My N?” TITLE TRACK SCORE: 8.5 / 10
“If I’m S, Can You Be My N?” MUSIC VIDEO SCORE: 8 / 10
SUMMER BEAT! ALBUM SCORE: 8.5 / 10
Overall Score: 8.3 / 10
Edited by Lacey Diluvio