Summer releases typically embrace the spirit of the season, bringing fun, brightness, and perhaps some sexiness. While summer songs are plentiful as always this year, it is also notable how many July releases opt for a more emotional, nostalgic vibe. Other releases delve into dance pop sounds appropriate for this season, but include unexpected images or lyrics. Let’s take a look at some of these somewhat less summery debuts and comebacks.
TXT, “Beautiful Strangers”
Following up May’s more upbeat “Love Language,” TXT’s “Beautiful Strangers” returns to more angsty territory, with its trap-rock blend recalling “Deja Vu”. The song itself runs a criminally short 2 minutes and 18 seconds, and to an extent shares the same unfinished quality that plagued recent title tracks like “Over the Moon.” If “Beautiful Strangers” were longer and had a bridge, it would be among TXT’s best title tracks. However, the song’s composition and structure somewhat compensates for its brevity. “Beautiful Strangers” begins with Soobin’s airy vocals in the intro, followed by an EDM synth break. Having these elements precede the first verse makes the song feel more full. Moreover, the members’ emotive singing, particularly Taehyun’s adlibs in the final chorus, brings some of the dramatic weight that the song demands.
With its narrative and imagery, the MV also fleshes out the song. The universe TXT inhabits in the MV seems to be both repressive and apocalyptic, with constant surveillance and alerts like “The end has no exit — unless you make one.” The members try to flee on foot or by car, but the group shots suggest that they will remain together regardless of circumstances.
The MV is said to bring the group’s lore to a close, with elements like glowing angel wings recalling their storyline. Some of the shots in the MV also mirror those from past MVs. Even without knowing exact references, the images feel poignant. The MV evokes the past, but also shows how far TXT has come. They have grown in their vocal and acting abilities, and are contributing more creatively, with Yeonjun choreographing for the chorus and dance breaks. So, while “Beautiful Strangers” might not be a flawless release, it is one that has a meaningful place in TXT’s discography.
AHOF, “Rendevous”
Meanwhile, “Rendevous,” the debut song from AHOF (All-Time Hall of Famer), the winners of the survival show Universe League, has the yearning, nostalgic pop rock vibe of a TXT release. The similarity is unsurprising, given that producer El Capitxn has worked extensively with BigHit. More than anything, though, “Rendevous” feels like a 2nd or 3rd generation throwback with good old-fashioned song structure, complete with a surging two-part chorus, synth-driven instrumental breaks, and not just a climactic bridge, but a post-bridge. The verses also showcase the group’s varying vocal tones, with Park Han’s falsetto, Chih En’s lower register, Steven’s deep rap, and Juwon’s playful, melodic rap.
The MV reinforces the melancholic, sentimental feeling of the song with its muted blue and orange color palette. As the song progresses, the colors become more saturated. After the bridge, the scene brightens considerably, with the members entering a stadium wearing baseball jerseys. Without context, this choice seems random, but it returns to the sports theme of their survival show. As a lyric in the first verse says, “Let’s meet again where we first met.”
The MV’s visual imagery and choreography also reflect the concept of reunion. The opening shot depicts the members silently on ascending and descending escalators. The members start off isolated, but then are placed in pairs, with the elegant partner dance work between JL and Chih En as a highlight. Eventually, group scenes take over as AHOF form a team. Seemingly simple, the MV for “Rendevous” contributes to its emotional impact.
Viviz, “La La Love Me”
The TXT and AHOF releases evoke nostalgia, and there is an element of that to Viviz’s “La La Love Me.” Some of the MV’s gauzy lighting and outdoor settings feel reminiscent of Gfriend MVs like “Love Whisper.” However, this MV primarily uses nature imagery to reinforce the lyrics, such as the line “my heart fluttered in full bloom,” reflected in animated effects of butterflies or blooming flowers. During the second verse, the nature imagery becomes darker, with huge silhouettes of spiders and engulfing flames illustrating the speaker’s feelings that she can “never get enough.” In the bridge, the choreography cleverly mirrors this imagery, with SinB fluttering her hands and Umji in front of four dancers extending their arms like spider legs.
This dark imagery is all presented as alluring rather than threatening, and at its core “La La Love Me” is an appealing dance song. The song shines most as it builds from the soft harmonies in the pre-chorus and ramps up the dance beats in the chorus. The line “oh my god, did you say you love me?”, in rhythm with the beats, particularly hits hard. Choreographer Kany deserves acknowledgment for creating three different dances for the chorus, each intensifying as the song progresses. “La La Love Me” reveals how Viviz have come into their own with dance pop tracks with memorable hooks and sharply executed choreography.
Onew, “Animals”
July also proved to be a fruitful month for solo releases, including a second full album from Shinee’s Onew. The MV for title track “Animals” depicts the idea that everyone has animalistic instincts, with its animated effects of people growing rabbit ears, tiger stripes, or other features. Like Viviz, Onew is not interested in exploring potential dark sides of the MV’s animal imagery (hilariously, there is a random shot of a full CGI werewolf). Instead, the MV revels in breaking from the mundanity of life. In one scene, Onew and suit-wearing office workers move with abandon in a parking garage. In the final chorus, Onew is basically in rock star mode with a diverse crew of everyday people, including flight attendants and construction workers, jumping around him. There is no choreography in the MV, only free dance.
It is easy to see parallels between the MV’s message and Onew’s more freewheeling approach to music making of late. “Animals” is an upbeat, groovy synthpop song that displays Onew’s range as he continues to expand his musical repertoire. As with his earlier “Best Drum,” Onew includes melodic rap in one of his verses, one of a few tempo and style changes within the song. “Animals” also emphasizes percussion and beats more than previous title tracks, and plays with the matching Onew’s vocal rhythm to the instrumentals. As with the MV, “Animals” celebrates open self-expression.
Yves, “White Cat”
From one animal-themed solo comeback to another, Yves returns with the unconventional “White Cat.” The English pre-release to her EP Soft Error solidifies her sound, full of indie, electropop, and hyperpop influences. Yves has had a series of tracks in this style, but the rhythmic synth line, aggressive guitar effects, and catchy melodies make “White Cat” particularly appealing. There is a fair amount of distortion on Yves’ vocals (inspiring the meme mistaking “can’t be better than tonight” for “capybara than tonight”), but the vocal effects mesh with the video game-esque noises throughout the song. Yves’ singing ability is still quite evident despite the emphasis on production. All of the song’s elements feel intentional and well-executed.
So does the MV, which is simple but has a clear aesthetic. Interestingly, both Onew’s and Yves’ MVs feature a multicultural cast of extras set against white backgrounds. “White Cat” differentiates itself by creatively utilizing dynamic camera zooms and pans to shift from Yves to her dancers to the titular white cat. Meanwhile, the choreo incorporates movements resembling a cat licking its paw, which manages to feel quirky but not over-the-top. In both music and visuals, ”White Cat” confirms that Yves has a distinct artistic vision.
XngHan&Xoul, “Waste No Time”
The redebut of the former Riize member as soloist XngHan is a fitting dance pop track for summer. In addition to its bouncy beats, though, the song and its accompanying MV reflect XngHan’s feelings as embarks on his solo career. In the beginning of the MV, he stands alone in a mirrored practice room, seeming to reflect on his extended hiatus:
A madness in these familiar steps
A möbius strip, endlessly looping all night long
Flowers crushed on the chosen path
You slow down, not finding the right answer
During these lines, Kyohong and Yul, who form the dance crew Xoul, intermittently appear, but afterwards, become a more consistent presence. XngHan and Xoul form an impressive team, deftly moving in sync with the song’s house beats and with each other. At this time, moving forward with this collaboration seems to be XngHan’s “right answer.”
Notably, the set moves from the practice room to the outdoors, with the trio riding in ATVs in an open landscape. The camera tilts to emphasize their momentum. The MV’s speedy movement underscores the urgency of the song, which frantically repeats the line “I don’t wanna waste no time no more” like a mantra. In other contexts, such repetition might quickly grate on the listener, but the song and MV appropriately illustrate the excitement of XngHan finally having the opportunity to realize his potential.
(YouTube [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Lyrics via Genius: [1][2]. Images via Paix Per Mil, BigHit Music, F&F Entertainment)
