Super Junior’s kings of versatility, the wonderful Donghae and Eunhyuk are back! This album was highly anticipated and its release was much appreciated. ELFs are being fed well, as there has been an almost constant stream of SUJU content coming our way lately. These Kpop icons consistently rule the charts (and our hearts too). Let’s get into the review.
The title track Danger is very different from D&E titles of the past. It is fast-paced and powerful, and fits well with the casino-gangster-magic-circus theme shown in the music video. Danger felt like it could fit well into the soundtrack for the Dhoom movies (fans of Bollywood will understand what I mean). I really loved the psychedelic high-pitched beat in the instrumental, as well as the majestic tune in the pre-chorus (as expected from a song composed by Donghae, the king of melody). Eunhyuk spits fast paced aggressive raps that fit the theme perfectly. The dance is great, and the song only gets more enjoyable the more times you listen to it. Great work D&E!
The next track Jungle is a tarzan-eque twist on the popular (although slightly overdone) genre of EDM-inspired upbeat pop. The post-military service D&E clearly love this style of music, but their sassy flare makes this song stand out from the many similar sounding songs being released. I love the lyrics as well – they’re pretty hilarious. Also, Eunhyuk’s smooth vocals in the chorus prove that he is more than just a rapper.
'I’m in love in the jungle'
Gloomy is a slower paced song with sexy vibes, R&B flavour and deliciously whining autotune. I absolutely adore this style of music, so I was delighted to hear D&E try it out it again. This song reminds me of their Japanese song Take It Slow (a sexy MASTERPIECE that I highly recommend you listen to if you haven’t already!). Gloomy has smooth guitar instrumentals, steamy vocals and a sexy trap beat.. what more could you ask for in a song? Plus, Donghae’s oohs and yeahs in the chorus are bound to any ELF’s heart race.
There is a stark change of pace as we move onto the next song Watch Out, which starts off with an exciting brass hook that wakes you up from the sensual haze created by the previous song. Eunhyuk really stepped up his rap game on this track; I got a genuine a hip hop feeling from his flow this time. Donhgae’s falsetto is also super fun to hear.
Dreamer is calm and crooning R&B style ballad, which is sort of reminiscent of Super Junior’s Evanesce. The clue is in the name, as this song will send you into a sexy Donghae-and-Eunhyuk-fuelled daydream. I also loved the use of a clock ticking in the instrumental – I always love to hear this.
Next we have the Korean version of Sunrise, which was the title track to their 2018 Japanese album Style. I absolutely loved the song in Japanese, so I was happy to hear this version too. Sunrise is an EDM-style party song that managed to be ethereal and pathos-filled at the same time as being an upbeat party song. I even loved the extensive autotune, as I think it really adds character to Donghae’s voice. Although the Korean version was nice, I am much more used to hearing the lyrics in Japanese, so I will probably listen to that version more. (In my opinion, nothing can beat the iconic 君を愛してる or “Kimi o aishi teru” meaning I love you, in that track).
Finally we have If You, with is a Korean remake of another classic Japanese hit. This song is peaceful and delightfully sweet in both languages, and reminds me of the romantic side of D&E that came out in songs like Still You and Love That I Need. I loved the use of violins in the instrumental, and with this song it is clear that D&E are really the greatest at making emotional bridges.
As you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this album. The only criticism I can think of is that there weren’t as many new tracks as I would have liked! Super Junior are undoubtedly still the kings of Kpop, and this album really shows that.
Kpop Review Café’s Overall Album Ranking: 8/10
Written by Jessica