| Healing Wounds Through Experience and Challenge: The Music of DAY6
| Healing Wounds Through Experience and Challenge: The Music of DAY6
'Trustworthy and listenable DAY6,' 'Urgent need to grasp the theme'… Compliments rain down on DAY6. Through rigorous training and their debut at the Hongdae Indie Rock Festival "Live Club Day" in 2015, the band has shown their unique music and expanded their fan base. They have now become the flagship group of their agency and lead the band music trend in the Korean popular music market. Even though the emotions felt by today's youth may be awkward, DAY6's genuine and earnest music fills them with strength and inspires everyone to open a page from the happiest days in their hearts.
Many ask about the secret behind DAY6's peak and success today. Analyses of their music and the popularity of the rock genre have already been covered by many media outlets, so I will skip those. What I want to emphasize is their diligence. Since their debut in 2015, DAY6 has consistently been creating and performing music. There is no break in their discography.
During their debut, they did club performances with indie bands, street busking, cover performances, and more to gain stage experience and skill. In 2017, they released two self-composed songs every month and performed them at the beginning of each month in the Every DAY6 Project. Subsequently, they continued to release the 'Youth' series and 'The Book of Us' series without looking back, fully focused on creation. They even turned their military service period, which must have felt like a long wait to fans, into a positive opportunity.
During Sungjin's hiatus and military service, the remaining members explored DAY6's intricate musical world as a trio, Even of Day. Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon released solo works one after another, receiving acclaim from both the public and critics. Despite their military obligations, they presented miraculous joint performances. After all members were discharged, they released the album 'FOUREVER,' with the first track being 'Welcome To The Show,' declaring, 'Now it's a stage where we're no longer alone, so emotional.' It's hard not to be moved.
The past nine years of DAY6's vigorous journey indicate much about K-pop. The DAY6 project was the first initiative of Studio J, a subsidiary of JYP Entertainment established to present free musical expression through various genre labels. The decision to sow seeds for a new future alongside well-accomplished K-pop proved to be a significant harvest.
To break the prejudice against 'idol bands,' both the agency and the members endured countless rehearsals, live performances, and the pains of creation. Even after achieving the goal of debuting with self-composed songs, they diligently immersed themselves in music and provided answers through their music to stand proudly as a band.
As a result, DAY6 has perfected a music grammar that navigates complex emotions faced with paradoxical situations and pictures a bright tomorrow even if not immediately happy, delighting fans weary of the flood of music aimed at attracting fleeting attention. Their unwavering sincerity touches everyone.
The mini-album 'Band Aid,' released for the second time this year, demonstrates the band's matured harmonization and numerous attempts, combining DAY6's prolific creativity. If 'FOUREVER,' their comeback album, focused on encapsulating DAY6's iconic sound based on the thrill of complete group activity, this album aims to elevate DAY6's world with a relaxed attitude and grown skills. There's a noticeable effort to leverage the members' strength as vocalists and harmoniously integrate their unique musical worlds into one team.
Let's look at the title track 'Melt Away.' The exhilarating performance reminiscent of Young K's solo album track 'let it be summer' meets DAY6's teamwork, transforming into a more diverse song. Sungjin, with his rugged tone, coldly confesses 'Everything was depleted, shivering,' and Young K foretells a reversal with 'You ran and hugged me warmly.' Following the delicate keyboard performance, Wonpil's soft voice leads the tempo modulation, with all members passionately expressing gratitude for the fortunate person who keeps them alive. The 2 minutes and 46 seconds composition, devoid of unnecessary elements, carries an emotional narrative. DAY6’s unique message of promising to face tomorrow together, as they sing 'Help me endure,' rather than perfect happiness and future, exemplifies emotions only a band can convey.
The album is filled with captivating songs. 'Monster,' an extension of ‘Zombie,’ where one confesses to feeling infinitely small, delivers a more three-dimensional sentiment with Young K's lonely lyrics meeting rough and dry guitar tones and the members' somber and rugged vocals. The 1980s New Jack Swing genre rearranged into a lively band composition in 'She Smiled,' and ‘Hopeless Game’ which borrows Rockabilly rhythms and 2000s post-punk riffs to encourage running together through a tough and tiring life, along with 'Help Me Rock&Roll,' all function as band music applicable to everyday moments.
'Counter,' reminiscent of Even of Day’s configuration, is a song that confirms DAY6's growth through complex mid-song rhythm variations and splendid performances. The impressive surging play in 'I'm Fine' and the unique rock ballad 'Still Alive Over There' smoothly consolidate diverse themed songs into DAY6's brand. It's music by DAY6 that heals wounds through experience and challenge.
Appearing on 'IU's Palette,' DAY6 introduced 'Band Aid' as a work wanting 'to add variety without straying far from DAY6’s framework' combined with 'music helpful for daily life,' as praised by IU for the upgraded band's music.
Once again, I emphasize that DAY6's strength lies in their decisive action to turn imagination into reality, made possible by their diligence. To heal someone's wound, it is essential to understand and deeply consider that wound, but it’s more important to be there when needed. DAY6 makes the music we need. And we want more of DAY6's music.
Kim Doheon (Music Critic) / zener1218@gmail.com
<Photo Source=JYP Entertainment>
※ External authors’ contributions may not align with the editorial stance of this publication.
