Following the release of their third single album earlier this year, &TEAM has entered the Korean music scene with their first Korean mini album, ‘Back to Life.’ The 6-track recording touches upon concepts of love, confidence, and motivation, and spans across multiple genres from old-school hip hop to mellow R&B.
“Back to Life”
The album starts off strong with the title track “Back to Life,” continuing the group’s affinity for dark and mysterious themes. Both the lyrics and the music video illustrate the main message of being able to fight the monster inside because you have someone who can take you away from the edge. This idea is especially clear with the repetition of the line “Only you, bring me back to life” and is further depicted within the music video. We see this especially in the scene where the “monster” reverts back to a human being after one of the members reaches out to them.
“Lunatic”
The second song, “Lunatic,” continues the dark and mysterious theme of the first music video, complete with imagery of a dark forest and a dilapidated building. The song itself has a stronger hip hop sound, as the group sings about giving it your all in order to achieve your goals. The lyrics “We cry for the moon” paired with the references to wolf packs ties back to that dark creature imagery. However, the comparison to a “monster” here seems to have a positive connotation in contrast.
“MISMATCH”
The third track, “MISMATCH,” introduces a new mellow R&B vibe to the EP and highlights the group’s vocal range. In this song, the members sing about being at odds with someone but still believing that the relationship can work.
“Rush”
The album’s fourth song, “RUSH,” then oscillates between slow and fast melodies. The blending of smooth, harmonious vocals with aggressive, complex instrumentals contrasts with the softer sounds of the second track. The marimba paired with the siren in the chorus helps drive home the urgency within the lyrics, where the members sing about chasing success and surpassing others.
“Heartbreak Time Machine”
With the fifth track, “Heartbreak Time Machine,” the album switches back to a more mellow and slower pace. It draws attention to the members’ vocals and features a distinct blend of guitar, drums, and piano. Here, the members sing about embracing all the aspects of a past relationship (the good and the bad) and wanting to travel back in time to relive it all.
“Who am I”
The last track holds a similar mellow tone as the members sing about wanting to be special to someone, yet also being afraid of being loved. They wonder how they are perceived by their love interest, and through the repetitive chorus (“Who am I to you?”), they also ask how their relationship with this person is being defined. Another vocal-heavy song, this track features breathy vocalizations set against a piano background, establishing a gentle conclusion to the album.
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Featured Image Credit: &TEAM Official Website
