AB6IX – 5NALLY

Track List:

1. MOONDANCE (JEON WOONG) (AB6IX)

2. MORE – (KIM DONGHYUN) (AB6IX)

3. ROSE, SCENT, KISS – (LEE DAEHWI) (AB6IX)

4. BREAK UP – (LIM YOUNGMIN) (AB6IX)

5. COLOR EYE – (PARK WOO JIN) (AB6IX)

AB6IX finally dropped their newest EP, '5NALLY.' This one has five tracks, each one sung by a different member. Which is exciting, because if you wanted to know how Park Woojin or Kim Donghyun might sound as solo artists, now is your chance.

"MOONDANCE" is a power ballad. It starts out soft, but before long, it picks up. It doesn't really get harder, just louder and more energetic. But I like the push and pull here. If you're wondering how a softer offering from AB6IX might sound, this is the song for you. Now "MORE" is more purely soft pop. It begins more enthusiastically than the previous track. And has some more interesting percussion, as well. Softer drum beats and synth washes characterize this tune. Donghyun seems to have a higher voice than Jeonwoong, and it's less whispery, to boot.

"ROSE, SCENT, KISS" is where we finally get a proper club banger. This tune was brought to you courtesy of Daehwi. So far this is my favorite song on the EP. It's bold, direct, and straightforward. It's also kind of a breath of fresh air after the softer stuff. And "BREAK UP" has an interesting intro. Sampled, auto-tuned "oh yeahs." And then Youngmin comes in to bring us this tender piece. It's certainly evocative, with lyrics like, "In the dying flame, the falling flower petals bloom," even if the overall tone of the lyrics is bitter.

Woojin's solo, "COLOR EYE," rounds out the album. It has a creepy music box intro and is somewhat unsettling. And it launches into a hip-hop based ode to a girl. It's a different one because the lyrics seem to indicate sometimes that he is unsettled. By the end, he admits it's out of control and he doesn't care. It's a darker piece and I love it all the more for it.

Overall I think this is a pretty good mini-album. It gives you a good idea where the strengths of these boys lie. I'm sure, in part, it was to gauge fan response. Like "who should we debut first as a solo artist?" But for fans of the group, this is an absolute treat, no matter why you enjoy their music.

MV REVIEW

This MV takes the position that less is more.

And they do that throughout. They start by having Jeonwoong switch locations between a dark room and silhouetted in front of a huge moon. Then the sets change again, walking through the shallow water among smaller orbs that eventually light up, like mini-moons. There's even a "moon" that swings back and forth behind him.

The effect is fairly convincing, even if there's not a whole lot going on. It's just him dancing and performing. He's not a bad dancer, and the choreo has him gracefully flitting from one scene to the next. Of course, there's this one part where he thrusts his hips back and forth:

Definitely fan service.

Still, the MV is dynamic, the interplay between light and dark is quite well done. And the director knows what people want to see. He put Jeonwoong against a number of interesting backgrounds. And I'm sure the special effects cost them a negligible amount.

If you're looking for eye candy, give this one a look.

SCORE

MV Relevance............8

MV Production.............8

MV Concept.................8

MV SCORE: 8.0

Album Production......8

Album Concept..........8

Album Tracklisting....8

ALBUM SCORE:8.0

OVERALL................8.0