SHINee — Atlantis — The 7th Korean Album Repackage
This legendary band is back, delivering a solid 12 track album, with multiple genres, creative arrangements, and mesmerizing vocals.
To preface, I have been an avid follower of SHINee, a group from SM Entertainment, from their May 25th, 2008 debut to the present date. As such, it felt only right to open this publication, this very first album review, with SHINee.
Atlantis is the repackage of SHINee’s February 22, 2021 comeback album, Don’t Call Me, and contains 3 new songs alongside the original 9 songs. With a ~40 minute run time, Atlantis (released on April 12, 2021) is a solid album that embodies the traditional SHINee style focusing, in general, on a central thread (in this case, the summer charts feeling) but is punctuated with unique melodic lines, strong vocals, pure ballads, and a subtle “SHINee” flare in EVERY song.
I knew better than to walk into this album with any specific genre expectations as history dictated that SHINee would take me on an emotional rollercoaster, and I was proven right, as Altantis explores various genres while still remaining a cohesive and well-crafted album.
Tracks: Atlantis, CØDE, Don’t Call Me, Area, Heart Attack, Marry You, Days and Years, I Really Want You, Kiss Kiss, Attention, Body Rhythm, Kind
1. Atlantis
Initially unveiled during their most recent Beyond Live concert, Atlantis is the quintessential electro-pop/funk-inspired SHINee summer anthem. The song has a catchy hook framed with punchy vocals and is reminiscent of one of their previous summer hits, View.
This song embodies the constant rhythm of the tides as you feel an energetic current, provided with a thrumming guitar and a relentless beat, that is then tamed with an orchestral bridge echoing the adventurous and slightly mysterious theme of the music video.
An extremely solid title track, Atlantis reaches a victorious and almost anthemic climax that is then followed by numerous riffs by various members before circling back to the opening guitar melody to close off this amazing song.
Coupled with an aesthetically appealing and colorful music video, Atlantis is already shaping up to be a summer hit.
2. CØDE
Immediately following that guitar fade out from Atlantis, we flow into the rhythmic and hypnotic vibes of CØDE. With a bit of a darker synth-heavy instrumental, CØDE stands out as an interesting mixture of futuristic-pop sounds with immaculately blended vocalizations from this seasoned group.
However, the part that catches the ear first is the dual rapping between Key and Minho at the top of the song, thus setting the tone for this track. Onew and Taemin add in breathy vocals to keep the song focused on creating a lightly sensual atmosphere, matching the lyrics perfectly, and furthered by the instrumental-heavy bridge and post-chorus.
CØDE utilizes space perfectly, not feeling too vocally heavy and instead allowing those synths to really shine.
3. Don’t Call Me
CØDE moved towards a dark sound, perfectly preparing us for the deeper hip-hop sound of Don’t Call Me, and yet still allowing the song to be a wonderfully sharp surprise. While both previous songs have still stuck to a level of pop, Don’t Call Me truly delves deeper into a harder sound, with a slightly more percussion-heavy instrumental with few other instruments and staccato vocals focused on aggressive lyrics.
But no need to fret, because as we should have guessed, the bridge brings in a piano melody, almost entirely removing the percussion to focus on the emotional aspects that SHINee always delivers so well. I would argue that that bridge is truly what makes this a quintessential SHINee song as they meld the style of Don’t Call Me to their strengths and keep the sound unique and refreshing, further proving their versatility.
Also, this Music Video? Engrossing and superbly done.
4. Area
After such a heavy and hard-hitting track like Don’t Call Me, Area is quite a change of pace, and yet still takes that darker edge of Don’t Call Me, mellowing it to a more moody vibe instead. Truly, that is the best word to describe Area: a vibe. Beautifully produced with its subtle percussion and instrumental groove, Area’s bridge is stunning. This song is extremely impactful, with well-placed runs and tightly controlled vocals, showcasing every members’ range and agility.
Area is a nuanced song with subtle musical changes, but what else could we expect when this song has production credits from musical duo PhD (Peter Wallevik and Daniel Davidsen)? For reference, another song that has PhD written all over is EXO-CBX’s Monday Blues.
While Area shines because of its production and vocals, the lyrics are also just as exquisite, as is to be expected when they were penned by SHINee member Minho. Littered with references to past SHINee songs, Area has quickly taken the spot of the favorite song in this album for me, and we aren’t even halfway through!
5. Heart Attack
Transitioning from the instrumental outro of Area with a swift instrumental reverb, the album moves from the slightly melancholy to the high-energy and funk-heavy track, Heart Attack.
This is definitely a song to see live, as the song’s energy is perfect for a lively performance. Interestingly, Heart Attack actually lacks an official rap section and instead, focuses on a consistent vocal blend to create an intoxicating rhythm. The light rhythmic use of the vocals in the backing track help to emphasize a “heartbeat” and work well to propel the atmosphere of the song.
6. Marry You
I have to say, this is the first song where I was a bit jarred by the transition in the album. While the first six songs have been surprising, the transitions have eased the surprise to an extent. However, Marry You lies in its own lane entirely, as it focuses less on the funk-pop of the previous songs, instead choosing to delve quite firmly into the 90s R&B style.
Nevertheless, there are sections that help to showcase that SHINee taste, with a tinkling synth during the chorus and the smooth high notes to offset the synth. Marry You feels like we are beginning the other side of the album, the literal B-side, where you would traditionally “flip the tape”. Taking this as the attempt lends us a clear message: we’ve moved over from the adventurous and mysterious Atlantis world to the rooted and firm Marry You land of stability.
With this in mind, Marry You provides a deeply nostalgic feel echoing some of the group’s earliest albums, and especially feeling like a call back to the need for solid vocals and consistent harmonies, due to the laidback instrumental. This song is a purely cheesy, swoon-worthy, wedding song that deserves all the accolades with every member shining in various moments of the song.
7. Days and Years
Following up the proposal from Marry You, we get the captivating track that explains a long-term relationship and the various up and downs that might occur but the inevitable love that sustains the couple, Days and Years. This song has an almost completely stripped pre-chorus that allows for the chorus to come in and really fill the space. This song is a light morning song with the sun shining, a hug from your favorite person, or just a warm cup of your favorite beverage on a chilly night.
SHINee allows their listeners to feel at peace and just relax, with a perfect balance between synth-pop and acoustic melody. Days and Years is the song from an experienced group that shows their seasoned chops with perfect balance.
8. I Really Want You
But just as we were quite relaxed with Days and Years, SHINee raises the energy lightly but continues to keep that guitar to keep the transition naturally. I Really Want You is the jam session with the friends. This is an absolutely addictive song!
I cannot say enough about that refrain and the brass in the instrumental. There is just enough to not be overpowering but still give us that lightly big band feel and raise the energy of the landscape entirely. Absolutely Amazing!
9. Kiss Kiss
Can I say that Kiss Kiss is the beginning of the honeymoon? At this point, we’ve gone through the beginnings of the relationship, the proposal, the wedding, and seem to have started on that honeymoon period.
Playing with the uplifted tempo from I Really Want You, Kiss Kiss focuses on a groovy bassline alongside airy vocals and harmonies. This song is smooth as silk and echoes the style of a late disco era.
This album is shaping up to be quite a relaxing and enjoyable time.
10. Attention
Interestingly, Attention in the original Don’t Call Me album was placed after Body Rhythm, while in this repackage, it is placed before. I firmly believe this was the right call.
Coming from Kiss Kiss, Attention feels like a perfect continuation that is just slightly more seductive in the melodic line and definitely more suggestive in the lyrics. There is a dream-like quality to the verse that is grounded by the insistent percussion in the chorus. The higher synths help to hit that perfect electropop balance that fits SHINee so well.
To an extent, Attention is actually reminiscent of their 2016 1 of 1 album with the whistled hook and jazz styling. A laidback track, Attention is not exceptionally distinctive on the surface but placed in this album, it is the perfect bridge between Kiss Kiss and Body Rhythm.
11. Body Rhythm
Now, the song that created quite a bit of buzz amongst fans. Body Rhythm was easily one of the most talked-about songs and eagerly awaited performance. Alas, SHINee did not give away this performance, sticking to small hints and a lot of secrecy. I get the feeling that the drop of any performance for this song will be a major event.
This song is very reggaeton and dancehall-inspired, focusing on the funky beat and slightly-off meter. Did you know this song was co-written and produced by Woodie Gochild of H1GHR MUSIC? You might recognize him from other works like TELÉFONO alongside Sik-K, Jay Park, and HAON.
This song is exceptionally addictive and is guaranteed to get stuck in your head!
12. Kind
After the reggaeton fun of Body Rhythm, SHINee closes out this album with a stunningly soulful track. As band member Taemin explained, Kind is about “the person who is by your side when things are tough”. The Korean title translates to “Blank Space” and this song aptly feels like one that can help fill in that blank space in your life.
The lyrics beautifully convey the meaning of the song, but even without knowing the meaning, the instrumental creates this thankful and giving atmosphere that is extremely touching to hear.
Initially, after Body Rhythm, I was a bit shocked at the abrupt turn of pace towards Kind. But after hearing the song, I don’t think there is any other track that could give such a powerful sense of closure and warmth.
12 songs from a band of five amazing members who have consistently given us superb music and continue to do so even after a lengthy hiatus, is something to be applauded. Atlantis successfully delivers a vast array of sounds that tells a story of a blossoming relationship and the depth to which that ardor can go.
SHINee has once again delivered an album very deserving of multiple awards and replays. While I acknowledge that some songs are slightly more repetitive in comparison to others, the album as a whole is solid and maintains its momentum. Truly, a phenomenal experience and a gift to listen to.
