I was really really surprised by EVAN’s solo output from this week, and I think it is proof that EVAN has the talent and artistic vision to go all the way.
I really felt, while watching the videos and listening to the music, that the vision here just feels almost TAEMIN-like in how singular and instantly iconic it is. Now, I think the choice of Ride or Die as the lead single is what made me hesitate, not because it isn’t a good song, but because to me it didn’t really capture his talent in the way that a song like Death of Me does. I think that if he had released that song so soon after leaving ENHYPEN the comparisons to their concept might’ve been made, but I think it just screams lead single to me because of how catchy and groovy it is. Very much The Weeknd “Take My Breath” vibes here.
But if the whole album was just that, I’d probably not be writing this post. So much of what makes this really interesting is the sounds he is pulling from and how it’s things that I haven’t seen people really capture in K-Pop as we know it right now outside of maybe CORTIS? Not really them either tbh.
For instance, Noises is my favorite song on the album I understand why others do not feel the same way that I do, but that’s because I’m a huge Dijon and Mk.Gee fan. Both of them did a lot of producing work for SWAG by Justin Bieber, with Mk.Gee doing the guitar work on DAISIES. That sound is really suited for EVAN’s voice, and I’m glad he’s bringing it to a new audience. Same with Death of Me: not until this song did I feel like people captured The Weeknd’s brand of Max Martinized 80s synth-pop within the Korean music industry. Going Home is REALLY giving me The Neighborhood vibes for sure. Immature, Not Enough, and Overflow I have difficulty figuring out what these are giving, but in almost all instances EVAN adapts these sounds into his own way and it really leads to a new spin on pop music that none of his contemporaries are doing.
Now, I know there’s a lot of pain around this transition, and in the music Evan addresses these concerns but really seems to be sticking his feet down really strongly. His bittersweet goodbye to ENHYPEN and his reintroduction really takes shape in Going Home which lyrically feels like it’s him showing how scared he is right now taking a leap like this. I think it shows, in addition to the rest of the album being so artistically interesting, that he has ambitions beyond himself. I felt cut up initially about him leaving, but I think going forward I see him really as his own artist, especially because he really really stuck the landing. This album showed his decision was not a fluke by any stretch.
Now what I do wonder is if there is a lore behind EVAN and his universe in the same way that ENHYPEN had their own lore? Is there other stories I’m missing?
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