After the success of their first full-length English album, the South Korean boy group MONSTA X is back with another! The group released their second English language album The Dreaming on December 10, 2021. The album contains 10 tracks which tap into the musical vibes from the late 90s and early 2000s. It also contains the pre-released track ‘One Day’. The group’s leader, Shownu, who is currently away on mandatory military enlistment, makes his presence felt in the album with his sweet vocals. Alongside the album release, the group’s new concert film Monsta X: The Dreaming hit theaters on Thursday, December 9, with additional screenings available on Saturday, December 11. Monsta X: The Dreaming was released in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan by CJ 4DPlex, and in all remaining global territories by Trafalgar Releasing.
Let’s escape into the dreamy world of MONSTA X’s The Dreaming!
ONE DAY
‘One Day’ is a soft-pop song with a rapid progression towards the chorus. It is a heartbreak song, which echoes the musicality of heartbreak ballads from the later 2000s. The atmospheric feel of the music casts a flickering halo on the lyrics that go “I wish you the best with somebody new / But they'll never love you like I do”. The song is presented sans a rap verse, bringing the rappers Joohoney and I.M to do a melodious vocalization.
The group brings in the retro disco vibes with ‘You Problem’. The song sports confident yet mushy sounding lyrics like “I'm only here for your love, I don't need no plan about us/It's simple, get lost in a romance / And just dance, baby, let's just dance.” It boasts a foot-tapping chorus, with the members vocalizing in the lyrics. One can easily imagine this song being played at bowling alleys (as seen in the music video), or even at a party!
TIED TO YOUR BODY
A soft Spanish guitar strums paves way for this acoustic Latin-music inspired track. The track is all about the physical attraction between two individuals. I.M’s husky verses add in to the sensual feel in the song. The chorus verses play out more and are an instant earworm. The song ends rather soon than anticipated, leaving the listeners wanting for more.
WHISPERS IN THE DARK
‘Whispers in the Dark’ carries an accusatory tone with lyrics like “Now you can't tell the truth from the heart / Swear you're having the time of your life / You're an actress, a beautiful lie / But I hear whispers in the dark.” The song begins with a simplistic tune, but soon ascends on a mid-tempo chorus. ‘Whispers in the Dark’ features classic synth beats that accentuate the urgency in the lyrics.
BLAME ME
It is a song about the feelings of physical attraction which are taking shape of love. The music is EDM mixed with electric guitar riffs, wrapping the song in the style of a rock ballad. The lyrics – “Monthly, weekly, nightly and daily/ If I'm falling, baby, don't blame me” – increase in a rapid progression and feel climactic.
SECRETS
Don’t confuse this track with the one from their ‘One of a Kind’ album. The similarities end with the title. ‘Secrets’ is about keeping the secrets, secrets. The lyrics are direct – “Don't tell me your secrets, just leave them behind /'Cause I can't imagine what you'll think of mine”. It is a mix of funk bass mixed with R&B.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
‘About Last Night’ is different from the rest of the tracks. It carries hints of Swing style music, clubbed with bass retro hints. The song is about one crazy night when one felt really alive, and although the memories are hazy, they are still beautiful. The song is fresh, adventurous and brings out the wild side, especially with lyrics like “And I realized / All the blurry nights are when I feel alive / About last night”.
BETTER
Better is resplendent with funk pop music. The guitar riffs, which are hidden among other instruments, accentuate the ‘high’ feeling. “There's a part of me, I wish you didn’t see / But I love your patience” – these lyrics reflect the desperation of making the lover stay. The song is high on feeling, and music, making it an instant hit for a club playlist.
BLOW YOUR MIND
The acoustic guitar sets up the tone for this upbeat synth-based track. Blow Your Mind is like a nostalgic trip to the 2000s era when the boybands were experimenting with electric music and dance-pop numbers. The rhyme and rhythm of this song is quite addicting, especially with cheesy lyrics like - “You got a vibe of your own, it's so electric / I want your body so close, keep us connected.”
THE DREAMING
After a bunch of dance-pop and EDM influenced tracks, MONSTA X takes a turn on the acoustic ballad lane with ‘The Dreaming.’ The lyrics - “Is finding the gold worth losing the rainbow/ The colors are there / Are they the same though?” – are heavy with existential questions that one often mulls over. The song is like a balm for a bruised soul. The song makes an effort, if not fully answer, to the questions that leaves one sleepless into the night.
The Dreaming is a luminescent package of lyrics and melody, draws heavily from dance pop and R&B, which just fits the mood of love and dreaming. It ignites certain passion and expresses the feelings with nuance. The album is all about love, and the boys do not shy away from singing about the vulnerability and yearning it brings along. MONSTA X sing their hearts out with this album, with conscious efforts on pronouncing clearer lyrics and balancing the vocal harmonies. The group experiments with the vocals as well – rappers I.M and Joohoney made a wonderful attempt at singing and their raspy, husky voices shone in each track. The album pays homage to the 90s and 2000s music, mainly Western. One can also liken the musical influence to that of artists like One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, Justin Timberlake.
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