Ahead of their fourth full-length Korean album and tenth anniversary, the members of DAY6 re-signed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. And why wouldn’t they? The group has seen a massive rise in popularity over the past few years as their solid discography continues to grow. But with increasing success, it can feel like the band often picks their most palatable material for singles while leaving the most interesting stuff on the album.
New title track Inside Out is a mix of the familiar and the new. There are moments of adventure, most obvious during the first half of the chugging chorus with its cool, filtered vocal flourishes. I’m curious how an entire song would sound if arranged like this. This segment is surrounded by much less daring material, from the chorus’s surging second half to a frustratingly downbeat second verse. Its slight reggae influence is interesting, but the melodies aren’t strong enough to drive the tempo change.
Because of this, Inside Out feels as if it only succeeds in fits and starts. DAY6 are at a point where success is almost guaranteed, so I’d love to see them take that goodwill and shoot for the stars with a track that captures attention in an unexpected way. Knowing them, there are probably at least one or two of those songs on the accompanying album.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
