Though The Boyz celebrated Christmas in August with bright, upbeat tunes in Pt. 1 of their Phantasy series, the second portion of the album Phantasy Pt. 2 – Sixth Sense takes a dramatic turn. With a bold claim to stimulate listeners beyond the five senses, the group turn over their bubbly image to show a more mature side of themselves. But while the concepts of Pt. 1 and 2 are vastly different, Sixth Sense is incredibly cohesive just as Christmas in August was. On top of that, the record is structured like a suspenseful film noir, telling a story about obsessive love and an ill-fated relationship from its dangerous start to its desolate end.
The twisted romance tale begins with title track “Watch It” where the members caution listeners not to fall for their them:
You better
Watch it, careful, it’s confusing
Can’t refuse, my bad, pulling you closer
Slowly switch up, move it fast
Caught in my trap, it’s already too late
Ironically, while the lyrics give a warning of the danger ahead, the alluring melody is tempting and only works to lead listeners further in The Boyz’s dark fantasy world.
The opening of the song is ear-grabbing with a slightly funky bass that is effective at creating a cool but nerve-racking atmosphere despite its minimalism, while the pre-chorus features entrancing synths and a bewitching vocal melody. This builds up to a dramatic and exciting high, making the muted chorus all the more dissatisfying with its dull and muted vocal arrangement.
However, the few bursts of forceful synths that play throughout are actually quite a nice contrast to the low vocals. Not only do they give the otherwise monotonous chorus a bit of spark, but they also prevent the tension in the tune from ever easing up. This continues to grow more intense as the track goes on before erupting brilliantly in the bridge and last chorus. These final moments are utterly enthralling and make the gradual buildup of the song well worth the anticipation.
Extending this dark and seductive vibe is “Rat in the Trap,” a subunit track featuring members Sangyeon, Jacob, Kevin, New, and Ju Haknyeon. Here, the warning in “Watch It” is revealed to be futile as “Rat in the Trap” sees someone start to fall in love with no opportunity to leave, comparing the attraction to an enticing trap with lyrics like “Again and again, even if you run away” and “Oh, there’s no exit anyway.” Though it appears the boys are the ones doing the trapping at first, this perspective shifts little by little. And by the time we reach the final chorus, they themselves have also become caught and ensnared in this dark romance.
The strong electric bass in the instrumental forms a funky yet uneasy sound, and its unexpected pairing with the boys’ sweet and delicate voices keep listeners on edge until the very end.
With that, the perilous relationship continues to get deeper and deeper and in “Bad Luck,” the star-crossed lovers are determined not to lose their affection for one another despite being fully aware of the misery to come:
So clearly coated with bad luck
Swirling typhoon eyes
In the pouring rain digging into wounds
Deepened despair, never end, as much as I desire you
I want it more, the bad bad love for you
Though somber in tone, “Bad Luck” is different from the previous two songs in that it is fast-paced and energetic. The pop influences and use of synths are slightly reminiscent of The Boyz’s earlier releases and produce a pleasant, dreamy sound. These dreamy segments are also nicely balanced out with more powerful sections in a surprisingly harmonious way and work to create a mysterious air rather than the youthful concept that the group were first recognized for.
B-side “Crying & Laughter” picks up on these pop elements as well with an added hip-hop flair in the verses. In this piece, the main characters of our romance tale are still deep in love and adamant about staying in this toxic fantasy. But in spite of their desires, the happy facade begins to crack as the members contradictorily sing “Make mе cry in joy” and “Make me laugh in pain.” It gives the song a subtle melancholic mood which is an interesting touch for an intense and energetic number. The vocal layering, especially during the “Lalala lalala lala” lines in the post-chorus, is captivating and helps end the tune on a haunting note before the closing act of the story.
“Escape,” the final track, is by far the most soothing on the album. Whereas the other numbers on the record have an underlying tension in them, “Escape” is calm and dreamlike. The instrumental is hazy with synth pluck sounds and bubble-like beats. And when combined with the boys’ soft vocals, they form a gentle pop and R&B ambience.
In contrast, the song has the most dreary lyrics as the relationship in the storyline crumbles and the group convey their desperation to escape from an obsessed lover:
Yeah, I just wanna find the gate
Get away from you, escape
Get it up, go, run breathlessly
Don’t tie me down with your obsession
It’s a satisfying closer for the album, both musically and thematically.
These five tracks make for a neatly packaged dark romance plot, and the record as a whole would be consistent if only “Honey” was a little more fitting. This isn’t to say the tune is completely out of place though. The organ and 808 sounds in the instrumental are daunting, whereas the synths and piano in the pre-chorus are light and charming as rappers Sunwoo and Eric briefly show their singing.
Having said that, its lyrics feel like a fish out of water. While “Honey” is filled with plenty of on-the-nose honey bee references, the other numbers are all dedicated to telling a toxic and twisted love story. It’s an enjoyable listen but does not suit the album’s theme.
This isn’t enough to throw the record into disarray, however, and Sixth Sense remains as a pleasant and cohesive work in The Boyz’s discography. Interestingly, its mature and sensual sound is wildly different from Christmas in August, which makes it difficult to imagine the two EPs included in the same full-length album. But as the group seem to be taking on very distinct images for their Phantasy album, the third chapter of the series looks to be another concept change. And with the impressions they have made with Pt. 1 and 2, what The Boyz do to wrap up the trilogy is sure to turn heads.
(YouTube. Lyrics via Genius [1][2][3][4][5]. Images via IST Entertainment.)
