9/9/2023 0 Comments Txt debut music videoThe payoff as the track builds into a full-on disco dance track at the end of the song is a sugar rush in its own right, drawing the listener further into the world of temptation alongside the members as they sing “You’re bad, you liar” before confessing “It’s me who’s bad.” The dynamic track features a mimicking of the devil whistling and laughing and bursts of vocal ad libs, giving it an organic, ASMR-like intimacy. In the EP’s title track “Sugar Rush Ride,” desire overtakes the members. A trippy outro to the song describes a flight into the sky, mimicking the journey of the Darling children flying out a window in the story of Peter Pan, which is even acted out as the members physically lift each other in the choreography for the song. “I scream and shout, but no one’s ‘round/ There’s no way to escape,” the members sing, once again searching for comfort in a moment of isolation. The EP opens with the cinematic track “Devil by the Window,” which features rhythmic whispered vocals over a bass beat that gives way to a dreamy chorus and the music matching the song’s fairytale-like story of being entranced by a devil. With these literary inspirations and an immersive pop sound, the album highlights TXT’s strength of musical worldbuilding. But, whether listeners are versed in the band’s lore or unaware of it, they can appreciate the symbolism laden throughout “Temptation.” The EP’s visuals and lyrics allude to stories of temptation throughout history: Peter Pan, the Korean folktale “Chunhyangjyeon,” Genesis and Faust. “The Name Chapter: Temptation” shows the band more “tempted” than ever by the idea of losing themselves in the pleasures of a “magic island” referenced throughout their discography and its accompanying imagery. In a 2021 interview with NME, TXT member Choi Yeonjun noted that fans who listen to the group’s discography “recognize these stories as stories of their own and sympathize with them.” “In this world of zero/ I know you’re my one and only,” TXT sings on its 2021 single “0X1=Lovesong.” The relatability of the coming-of-age narrative the group presents takes on escapism that comes across as personal rather than preachy. The group’s entire discography centers around a longing to leave behind the struggles of modern society as the members seek the transcendence of love. With the outbreak of COVID-19 closely following its debut in 2019, TXT’s development as artists has been defined by coping with isolation and upheaval alongside the rest of their generation. TXT proudly identifies as storytellers of Gen Z, tying universal themes of desire and loneliness in contemporary contexts. While the band is not the only music group to approach this topic recently (see: the surreal parties of Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” (2022) music video or Caroline Polachek fondling elaborate wine glasses in her “Billions” (2022) music video), TXT is uniquely qualified to speak on it. On its newest EP, “The Name Chapter: Temptation,” K-pop band TOMORROW X TOGETHER explores “how you are seduced by the sweetness of instant gratification,” as member Choi Soobin describes it.
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