TOMORROW X TOGETHER Establish New Sound With ‘Sugar Rush Ride’
From the addictive bass present in “Sugar Rush Ride” to the Afrobeat melody fleshed out in “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock),” TOMORROW X TOGETHER has brought new meaning to their discography through the drop of The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION. Each song has garnered massive popularity since its release on January 27, which are on a continuous rise among Korean charts. This time around, the group attempts to blend a variety of different genres together to create a cohesive and well-rounded mini-album that will undoubtedly be looked back upon as the boys advance throughout their careers.
Around late December and early January, MOAs (who have been deprived of new music for nearly nine months) jumped at the sound of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s return. While the members have satiated the needs of fans with the constant release of media on YouTube, Weverse, and Twitter, the group has planned on revamping its image after the descent into darkness with Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child. This time, the group has taken a gamble with sophisticated yet ambiguous themes, adhering to the titles of “Daydream,” “Nightmare,” and “Farewell.”
The group is approaching their fourth year in the industry and has so far experimented with concepts ranging from a refreshing/youthful image in “Crown” to a bubblegum sweetness in “Blue Hour” to teen angst in both “LO$ER=LO♡ER” and “0X1=LOVESONG.” Yet despite this, The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION delivered something we never anticipated seeing from the boys: not someone begging to be with the one they love, but rather, them approaching relationships with an air of nonchalance and bliss—the perfect temptation.
“Sugar Rush Ride” created the perfect (yes, tempting) trap for fans to fall in love with. In the entirety of their Korean discography, this title track is the only second song to be split up into two completely distinct sections—the verses and the chorus—which they proceed to merge together later on. In The Dream Chapter: ETERNITY, they first tried this duality with “Eternally” and have put the thought off ever since. Until now.
Each teaser for the mini-album seemed to release a different version of the song, leaving MOAs in bewilderment for what the final product would turn up as. Upon the release of “Sugar Rush Ride,” our expectations were shattered as they combined elements of a perfectly catchy guitar riff influenced by funk, with an opposing anti-drop chorus driven by underlying hip-hop tones (although some have noted that the contrast has made the chorus appear empty, failing to compete with the rest of the song that is so extremely vibrant).
Through its refreshing vocals and vibe-worthy rhythm, “Sugar Rush Ride” presents itself as a guilty pleasure. Members Taehyun and Heuningkai embellished it through layered ad-libs, which create an illusion of depth. Some aspects of the track outshine others, showcasing HYBE’s songwriting genius, such as the melodic pre-chorus, while others seem to expose their desire for experimentation, as the post-chorus’ repetitive “Sugar rush-ush” suggests. Of course, no song is perfect: but we suspect TOMORROW X TOGETHER is not trying to be. Through trial and error, they are testing the waters by straying away from the typical K-pop song format with the absence of a rap verse and bridge; thus, each replay blends into one another, making it a sweet treat to loop endlessly.
Since its release on January 27, many have voiced their mixed opinions on the track, some stating that the chorus does not redeem the song despite its upbeat verses, and others feel as though the anti-drop was executed perfectly. In addition to this, TOMORROW X TOGETHER delved into interesting musical techniques this comeback, notably those within their b-sides. Upon the release of their highlight medley, MOAs were immediately hooked onto the group’s first Afrobeat-inspired track, “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock).” It was also announced nearly a month ago that the boys were going to collaborate with trending female rapper Coi Leray on the song “Happy Fools,” which Yeonjun worked extensively on earlier in his career.
This time around, TOMORROW X TOGETHER amassed massive success with The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION, reaching an all-time high number of views for their music video in twenty-four hours at 15.2 million. They have currently surpassed 56 million views a week after its release, and every single song on the mini-album has made it onto the Korean music charts. The boys continue to build their image and keep their standing as one of the most successful fourth-generation K-pop prodigies, which makes us excited for future releases.
Columnist | K-pop Stan | Tweet me @senaho5
