【E】7ºCN by 아이돌로지 Idology

Mimyo

When one points out the ‘gayo (*Korean style of popular music)’ elements in regards to CNBLUE, it must be about the angle in which they tackle the familiarity of gayo (that may serve as a double-edged sword), rather than that they incorporate ’gayo (instead of rock).’ This mini album especially is a phase that makes me want to separately trace how the portrait of CNBLUE developed over time: their career’s starting point in ’gayo’ and the preference of Japan (as a stronghold of bands). The beginning to the middle part of the album successfully expresses CNBLUE’s signature vibe of earnest youth. “Calling You” leaves an especially interesting impression as the tender, romantic and optimistic, lucid atmospheres meet at the crossroads. Some songs make me assume that they started from a desire to include trendy sound elements. “When I was Young” follows that path strictly, which makes me also feel, “did that have to be done?” On the other hand, the title track “Between Us” faithfully places the gayo-inspired solidity and familiarity with impactful rock elements, which CNBLUE has always done well, yet tries something new within it. It resulted in a much more interesting and well-made track. Within the rather ’gayo’ melodies, the [album’s] straightforward drive incorporates “foreign elements” to form harmony and dynamics.

Park Hee-ah

A sense of freshness, hardly expected from a group already in their mid-career, dominates throughout the album. It’s a sentiment that used to be found in Japanese boy bands; to put it into a pictorial metaphor, something like “a clear sky with occasional showers.” If one slows down the BPM and simplifies the arrangement, the title track “Between Us” can almost serve as an OST for a youth drama. There was a period when I felt the group’s character became a bit lax because of the trite progression of the songs. This time, they erased such feelings by bringing up the overall atmosphere with the kind of energy unsurpassed by other rookie groups. It’s always electrifying to listen to Jung Yonghwa and Lee Jonghyun’s vocals intersect between the verses and the choruses. I always come to understand the different degrees of temperature felt by the two composers’ tracks from such experiences. Other than the title track, I recommend ‘When I was Young,” which very strongly and neurotically uses synth sounds, and the Korean version of “Royal Rumble,” a track originally included in the Japanese full album.