[FEATURE] AB6IX ‘SALUTE’ ALBUM REVIEW

Say goodbye to summer fresh music and let us welcome some strong bold sounds! That is exactly how we think of AB6IX’s newest EP ‘SALUTE’ which was officially released on November 2.

‘SALUTE’ shows the group’s maturity and also showcases each member’s individual songwriting talents as they were individually credited on at least one track each. It is nice to see the group soldiering on despite several setbacks they have faced throughout their career but we love their positivity and strength they show in ‘SALUTE’.

Now lets us dive deeper into each song from ‘SALUTE’ and explore what AB6IX has to offer!

1. MIRROR

This song is a great opening track to the album. It seems similar to the group’s previous works in terms of style and vibes. ‘MIRROR’ is the only song on the EP that AB6IX did not compose, but features lyrics by Woojin. They first performed it during their ‘SO VIVID’ online concert and later revealed to the public during KCON:TACT SEASON 2 and 2020 Korea Music Drive-in Festival.

‘MIRROR’ seems like a strong contender to be the album’s title track if ‘SALUTE’ was not. It ties in nicely to the royal concept with lyrics like “Oh mirror on the wall” which reminds us of Snow White.

2. SALUTE

‘SALUTE’ is the title track composed primarily by Daehwi, with lyrics by both Daehwi and Woojin. Despite being the title track, ‘SALUTE’ is instantly different at first listen from AB6IX’s previous title tracks. Their past tracks have always had a certain sophisticated sound to it and while ‘SALUTE’ is not exactly a huge departure from that, it is still distinctly louder.

While it lacks replayability compared to their previous titles, ‘SALUTE’ has potential to be an amazing live performance track. The marching band and drum line in the music video gives it an added feel of grandeur. AB6IX performing this at award shows would definitely be a spectacle!

The “bratatata” part is memorable and Daehwi’s bouncy rapping is a surprising and refreshing change from Woojin’s low-tone rap style.

3. HEAVEN

‘HEAVEN’ is easy on the ears and seems to be a fan favourite. AB6IX’s breathy vocals go well with the song’s light and dreamy vibe. This is further emphasised in the pre-chorus and chorus parts. If you close your eyes, it almost feels like you are in heaven. Donghyun’s vocals lend an extra warm touch to the heavenly vibes the song has. Woojin sings a little bit in this song, which adds a nice variety to their vocals.

This track seems a perfect fan-song to perform at a concert, even though it is not intended to be one. Listening to this song makes my heart swell up with emotions. ABNEWs will probably cry during this song if the group performs it live.

Woong is credited on this song as the primary composer and lyricist. ‘HEAVEN’ is Woong’s second published song so far, with solo track ‘MOONDANCE’ as the first. It will be interesting to see how Woong develops his own style in their future releases.

4. 이게 그리움이 아니라면 대체 뭐겠어 (MAYBE)

‘MAYBE’ is a break-up song that sounds surprisingly upbeat and sexy. Contrary to its bitter lyrics, the sexy vibes presented a startling twist to the song. With both the song and lyrics by Donghyun, we can only wonder who hurt him this bad.

Daehwi’s voice is especially prominent in this song and Woojin has several moments with his melodic rap-style. Having Donghyun end off the song with a similar melodic rap brings it back to full circle.

This is my favourite track from Donghyun besides ‘Shining Stars’ from their debut album ‘B:COMPLETE’.

5. BLOOM

‘BLOOM’ is a deep house track by Daehwi that reminds me strongly of AB6IX’s previous title tracks, especially ‘BREATHE’. While this track did not stand out to me upon first listen, it has grown on me immensely. This song has AB6IX’s signature sophisticated style and the softer parts add a nice touch of elegance.

Donghyun’s rapping on this track is also another pleasant surprise. Will we hear more of his and Daehwi’s rapping on future AB6IX tracks?

This particular track could pass off as a girl group song, and we can already imagine how lovely it would be with accompanying vocals.

6. 한걸음 뒤에 서서 (BEHIND YOU)

A pop ballad written by the group’s main dancer and main rapper Woojin. The simple and clean instrumentals for ‘BEHIND YOU’ complements the group’s vocals well. You can definitely hear their voices much clearer compared to their dance tracks.

Woojin’s singing parts on this track shows his growth and improvement over the years. Woong’s vocals also sound absolutely lovely in this. Their harmonies at the end are beautiful as well. This song will be a nice addition to my playlist of songs to listen on a rainy day.

While ‘SALUTE’ EP is a pretty solid album, ‘VIVID’ remains as my favourite album from AB6IX thus far! To my fellow ABNEWs, do you have a favourite track from AB6IX’s 3rd EP ‘SALUTE’? Do share with us your thoughts in the comment section below! 🙂

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Written by: Giselle
Image by: Agnes

Established in 2011, The Seoul Story is a Southeast Asia-based Korean Events, Entertainment & Lifestyle News Site On The Go

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