ATEEZ Celebrates Their Golden Hour with Tenth Mini Album

ATEEZ has become one of the fastest-rising groups in K-Pop, reaching new heights and achieving impressive milestones with each comeback. The gifted octet, consisting of HONGJOONG, SEONGHWA, YUNHO, YEOSANG, SAN, MINGI, WOOYOUNG, and JONGHO, debuted in 2018 and have immensely grown a dedicated fanbase, called ATINY. 

Thanks to the group’s persistence and ATINY’s loyalty, ATEEZ grasped the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, last year with their album, THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL, and became the first male K-Pop group to perform at Coachella this year. They are gearing up for more monumental milestones and performances this year, including performing as the first K-Pop group to perform at Morocco’s Mawazine Festival later this month, taking on Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival stage in August, and embarking on a massive 2024 world tour, TOWARDS THE LIGHT: WILL TO POWER, which will begin in North America next month.

Before hitting these stages, ATEEZ gave fans new music, much of which will likely be on their upcoming performance setlists. After closing out THE WORLD album series, ATEEZ shifted their focus to a new beginning, the GOLDEN HOUR series. GOLDEN HOUR : Part. 1, their tenth mini album and the first in the GOLDEN HOUR series, allows the members to bask in the achievements of this golden moment in their lives. 

Rather than kicking off the album with a song, they opt for a more narrative-style introduction to draw listeners into the GOLDEN HOUR experience. Starting with a distorted humming sound that later gets drowned out by an inquisitive monologue, “GOLDEN HOUR” delves into the main purpose of the album, determining what each person defines as their golden moments.

With “Blind,” ATEEZ added another addictive Latin pop record to their discography. Known as one of the world’s most romantic languages, it is only fitting that the members fuse Spanish into a love song. A song encouraging listeners to hit the dance floor with someone they love, ATEEZ sings over a vibrant Latin instrumental filled with tons of horns and percussion. Along with Latin production, they incorporated some Spanish lyrics into the song, alongside Korean and English, to further show their appreciation for the language and culture.

Factors that contributed to ATEEZ’s success over the years are their hard work and dedication, which they emphasize the importance of on their title track, “WORK.” Since the song is rap-heavy, this hip-hop and Latin-infused banger gave most members the chance to show off their rapping skills. The infectious, high-energy chorus drills in the song’s message in a catchy way. “Gotta work (gotta work) / Gotta make that money, make purse (Yes) / Got a fur coat, so I make it purr (Make it purr) / Give ‘em whiplash when they see me earn / Gotta, gotta, gotta work,” ATEEZ raps.

The members take on different jobs in the wildly eclectic music video for “WORK.” There are many fascinating scenes, including the surprising visuals of JONGHO buried underground as the members hover over his head, SEONGHWA riding an ostrich, and the men dancing in a raining shower of cash. 

Slowing down the tempo with the only pop ballad, “Empty Box” takes the opposite approach from “WORK,” highlighting the group’s vocal prowess with less rap and lighter production. Arguably their strongest vocal performance of the entire project, the members beautifully emote themselves through sincere lyrics about moving forward from someone of the past. Another standout element of “Empty Box” is the seamless harmonies, especially in the chorus.

Another unexpected sonic shift occurs with “Shaboom,” as the listener is transported to the Caribbean with this reggae and electronic dance music fusion. ATEEZ creates an inviting experience with this song, beginning with a knock, a door creaking opening, and HONGJOONG announcing his grand entrance. The song swiftly shifts with a suave reggae beat, making the listener feel like they are at a party with ATEEZ. The most impressive aspect of “Shaboom” is the production changes, as many verses incorporate reggae and a rapid switch redirects the song to the electronic dance music genre within the choruses.

After exiting ATEEZ’s blazing “Shaboom” party, listeners are thrown into the ringing world of “Siren.” A slightly eerie violin starts the song before HONGJOONG’s signature laughing tagline and his verse begin. The harmonious pre-chorus and chant-filled chorus were the best points of “Siren,” as they displayed two sides of ATEEZ, their incredible vocal compatibility and knack for producing energetic songs made perfect for live stages. “Siren” connects to the GOLDEN HOUR : Part. 1 storyline in an interesting way. It gives lovers of their previous work, especially THE WORLD series, something sonically reminiscent of that time while confidently emphasizing ATEEZ’s aim to “light up the world” with their music. 

Entering the GOLDEN HOUR universe through the series’ first mini album is a fascinating adventure that takes listeners through a versatile landscape of sounds and stories. In the mini album’s short runtime, ATEEZ created a project where no two songs sound alike, demonstrating their strong singing and rapping, infectious production, and allure with incorporating sounds from different cultures. Fans who want the chance to see ATEEZ perform live can find tickets for their upcoming world tour on their website.