ATEEZ’s Crazy End of an Era with THE WORLD EP. FIN : WILL
After six months of touring and countless schedules, KQ Entertainment’s eight-member K-pop boy group ATEEZ is back. On December 1, the group — consisting of members HONGJOONG, SEONGHWA, YUNHO, YEOSANG, SAN, MINGI, WOOYOUNG, and JONGHO — are back with their second full-length album, and conclusion to their album series, THE WORLD EP. FIN : WILL. The album contains 12 tracks including the title, “미친 폼 (Crazy Form),” and — for the first time ever — four unit tracks. The album truly displays the musical prowess of the group, with credits listing all eight members.
Now That’s “Crazy Form”
“Crazy Form” is a hip-hop track with elements of dancehall, Afrobeats, and house music. The style is something new to the group, ushering in a new era of sound for ATEEZ. In the past they have dabbled in EDM, dubstep, and trap, but with “Crazy Form,” the group show off their talents with their vocalists switching from falsettos to belting out strong notes and the rappers trying new methods to create an addictive title track. The song makes it clear that ATEEZ is crazy good at what they do, as the Korean slang, “미친 폼,” of which the song is named after, suggests.
“Crazy Form” opens with a deep bass Main rapper and captain — HONGJOONG — instructs everyone to get up. From then on, the style of the track takes shape. While the message the song sends can just be interpreted at surface level, fans know that “Crazy Form” continues the story of World Z, the group’s fictitious, dystopian world. The lyrics transition to the group telling the oppressed citizens and government officials to look away, for their presence is a warning. As the chorus builds, so too does the plot, as ATEEZ sings that they will just dance, because they know they’re masters at their craft before YUNHO proudly sings, “Now, that’s crazy form.”
The music video further propels the plot told by the lyrics with its stunning visuals. The video shows off a more comedic take to their plot: WOOYOUNG shaking his butt in front of the camera, MINGI ordering a milk martini at the bar, SAN “flipping off the camera” (making light of the meme that blew up within the fandom). The first scene shows the members singing in Strictland — the city in which their story takes place — in front of cloaked citizens and dancing with other officials dressed like them. Soon the video shows different scenes: MINGI racing to break into a bar where JONGHO is facing off with Strictland government officials; YUNHO and WOOYOUNG working diligently to craft the devices that will project a huge hologram of ATEEZ’s pirate ship; HONGJOONG and YEOSANG running away from the Strictland law enforcement; SEONGHWA and SAN laughing as they’re dragged away for dancing and singing. The few scenes mentioned above are stellar visuals to accompany the upbeat track while conveying their lore.
Find Your WILL with ATEEZ
THE WORLD EP. FIN : WILL opens with the unsettling intro track, “WE KNOW.” The track features a dark beat with pop and dubstep elements that instantly transports the listener into World Z. The lyrics tell the story of the citizens of World Z as ATEEZ push forward with their plan of opening their eyes to the injustice they face. Main vocalist, JONGHO, conveys the fervent desire to be free when he exclaims “Unleash me from the chain of lies / That ties me up, oh / Put everything back in place.” While their appearance may be frightening, ATEEZ reassures trapped citizens of World Z have no reason to run from the group.
In a world that is devoid of emotion and color, ATEEZ seek to shake things up with “Emergency,” the melodic hip-hop trap song. The track shows the perspective of ATEEZ as they dismantle the boring world that’s holding them back. The instrumental swells in the verses, taking the listener on a journey before breaking down into a loud, bass heavy chorus. The party is just starting when ATEEZ arrives, like main dancer WOOYOUNG taunts, “Start by turning up the volume, fire, this choir of troublemakers / Turning your empire upside down.”
With “ARRIBA,” ATEEZ traverse uncharted territory in terms of sound. The fourth track of the album takes heavy inspiration from tropical, Hispanic music with references to Mexican culture as well, something the group has never tried but absolutely crushed. “ARRIBA,” a word typically used to convey a feeling of encouragement in Mexican music, incorporates hip-hop elements and the sensual energy of tango in the chorus. The concept of escaping the city that traps them is propelled by the lyrics that speak of giving up the attempts to resist temptation and just dance. The feeling of celebration and upbeat energy can be felt through every beat of the track, from the addictive chorus to the traditional Latin instruments used.
The vibe of the album pivots completely with the fifth track, “Silver Light.” While the group maintains their storyline, “Silver Light” takes a darker yet hopeful turn. This is an ‘80s disco-inspired hip-hop track, talking about persevering through obstacles to reach utopia. With intense vocals and rap, the song feels like something straight out of a superhero action movie. With references to following a silver light —known to symbolize reflection and a change of direction — ATEEZ transports the listener to their world and the importance of their cause. With deep vocals that deliver an energy of hope, YEOSANG sings, “Through the rainstorm, through the darkness / Fly away into the daylight / Getting close to paradise / Into that light.”
“Crescent Part.2” marks the halfway point of the album and is an orchestral instrumental that gives fans, known as ATINY, an idea of the lore this album is tied to. “Crescent Part.2” is a continuation of the previous instrumental, “Crescent,” from the group’s third mini-album, TREASURE EP.3: One to All, where the group was encouraged to “Open your eyes.” “Crescent Part.2” echoes the same beachy vibe, with crashing waves and a foghorn audible in the distance. Although no words were spoken, “Crescent Part.2,” might indicate that ATEEZ will take fans back to the pirate concept, where the story of the group’s lore began in 2018.
What Does “Emotion” Mean to You?
The second half of the album begins with the seventh track “Dreamy Day,” the sweet pop track that is a love letter to ATINY. “Dreamy Day” was written, composed, and arranged by ATEEZ’s leader, HONGJOONG. ATINY might recognize its first appearance in the member’s older brother’s vlog. The song describes the love the group has for their fans, as they hope that they never wake up from this daydream that started with ATINY at the center. The sense of devotion to ATINY can be felt as they gingerly sing in the pre-chorus that it “Feels like a very deep dream / Every time I want you by, you’re here forever.”
Main rapper and vocalist HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA kick off the unit songs with the rowdy, rap heavy, trap song, “MATZ.” The song is named after the nickname the two oldest members gave themselves —- a romanization and play on the Korean term “맏즈,” meaning eldest. “MATZ” describes the nature of the two members and showcases their songwriting talents as artists. The lyrics reference many memories and accolades of the group, with a lot of wordplay. The duo makes their prowess clear as they proclaim, “Two men, we’re on fire, it’s dangerous / We have chemistry that bursts, light it up.”
YEOSANG, SAN, and WOOYOUNG slow it down with the group’s first ever K-R&B track, “IT’s You.” The song takes pages right out of the early 2000s/’90s R&B manual and is a play on the phrase, I tease you. “IT’s You” is a sleek and sexy track about seduction. The vibe is further propelled by the gentle vocals of the unit as the trio show off a side that is rarely seen in ATEEZ’s discography. The unit created a tantalizing atmosphere in the chorus as they sing “Oh, my body, I don’t wanna stop, until the break of dawn / There’s no end to my performance for you.”
The tenth track is “Youth,” by MINGI and YUNHO. “Youth” is a ‘90s hip-hop track depicting the pain of youth. The song is nostalgic, expressing the emotional nature of being young while everyone around them expects them to grow up. The melancholic way MINGI raps is complemented by YUNHO’s desperate vocals. The track mourns the loss of youth, with the lyrics sprouting questions, such as “Why is it so hard?” and “What did I do wrong?”
A ballad, “Everything” is the final unit track of the album, sung by JONGHO. The main vocalist is accompanied only by a piano for the majority of the track, before swelling to a dramatic end. JONGHO emotionally sings about the loss of a lover, desperately wishing they would know that they were everything to him. The vocalist masterfully portrays an incredible sense of longing, and the lyrics break the heart of any listener. In the bridge, JONGHO describes that intense heartbreak as he woefully cries out, “Back then, I should’ve told you / That you’re the reason for my entire life.”
The album concludes with the hopeful track, “FIN : WILL.” It’s more of a monologue about emotion, asking listeners questions — and more importantly the citizens of Strictland and World Z — to awaken them from the confines of their world. The instrumental and chorus of harmonizations that accompany the monologue are wistful, evoking the power in the questions being asked of the listener. “FIN : WILL” ends the album on a promising note, when the narrator softly asks, “Is it a new world?”
THE WORLD EP. FIN : WILL marks both the end of an era and the beginning of a new age for ATEEZ. With the “Crazy Form” music video garnering over 19 million views, nearly one million album sales, and reaching one million Spotify streams on the first day — the album sets a new record for the group. Their future seems even brighter with their newest release, and the group shows no sign of stopping.
Keep up with ATEEZ as they begin promotions for THE WORLD EP. FIN : WILL by following them on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!
Interested in more ATEEZ? Check out our coverage of their previous album, THE WORLD EP. 2 : OUTLAW here!
