DIA – ‘YOLO’ Album Review

DIA strikes the hearts of people once again with YOLO, their first full album. YOLO is an album that breaks the stereotypes of a so-called “typical girl group”, surprising listeners with genres as unexplored as trot and folk. What’s more worth admiring is that all of the songs in the album were composed by DIA members themselves. As the name of the album implies, you only live once, and YOLO is an album you need to listen to at least once in your lifetime.

Track 1 – 나랑 사귈래 (Will You Go Out With Me?)

Will You Go Out With Me? is what we would expect from a girl group; it is a cheerful pop song that overflows with cuteness. But, there are quite a few things that set it apart from the rest. A quirky song progression and memorable, catchy lyrics that describe an unexplainable crush liken this jolly title track to what Crayon Pop would put out.

Track 2 – 남.사.친 (Boyfriend)

Boyfriend seems like a rough, unpolished draft of the title track. It has the unorthodox flow (and their signature peppy energy) that the title track has, but it lacks in terms of sophistication and originality. It seems to try too hard to be as successful as the previous track, but it is still nice to listen to occasionally.

Track 3 – 사월 (April)

April is a romantic folk track without any help from any electronic sounds, leaving space for DIA’s sweet voices to stand out. Din Din’s rap parts provide a lovey-dovey yet speedy twist to this leisurely ditty. As you can see from the name of this track, April truly exudes the feeling of the pleasant flowers that bloom during the spring season of April.

Track 4 – 마네킹 (Mannequin)

Mannequin starts out giving the impression of a typical ballad, but it quickly progresses to become an energetic, full-out track inspired by the passion of Latin music. Romantic guitar riffs, ardent trumpet blows, and pounding drums form an unlikely pair with DIA’s vocals. I particularly enjoy how the song ends without the fanfare of the chorus, but instead on soft piano notes, giving a sense of closure to the mayhem that preceded it.

Track 5 – 꽃,달,술 (You Are My Flower)

DIA surprises yet again with this unexpected trot air. Collaborating with Hong Jin Young, a renowned trot singer in Korea, was definitely a good choice, as this song provides a weird twist to the sweet atmosphere the last few tracks had. The melancholic harmonica that forms the majority of the melody creates the tone of an afternoon walking on the streets of Paris. Now that I have seen how successful DIA is in the trot genre, I really hope that they try it more often.

Track 6 – 빛 (Light)

Since the previous two songs were revolutionary and extraordinary, Light disappoints. As I had feared, it is a slow ballad with no uniqueness whatsoever. Otherwise, it isn’t too bad, perfect for rough times.

Track 7 – 시간이 없어 (There Is No Time)

There Is No Time surprises me, for it is an acoustic song with Huihyeon, the group’s rapper, at center stage. Her nonchalant yet passionate rap verses mingle well with the sweet choruses sung by the sweet Chungha. Huihyeon’s boldness to tackle such a calm song is much appreciated, and works out excellently.

Track 8 – 이 노래 들어볼래 (Listen To This Song)

Listen To This Song is basically April without Din Din’s rap parts. When I first listened to this, I felt that the song sounded intensely familiar, before realizing that it was inspired by April. Aside from the fact that it highlights DIA’s ability to sing without having to compete with someone rapping, there is no clear purpose in this song.

Track 9 – 너만 모르나 봄 (Not Only You But Spring)

Not Only You But Spring can be likened to the lovely, affectionate tunes that preceded it, but it has something different to set it apart. It is an anthem for all girls out there, and one can’t help but feel good (and even sing along!) to the buoyant chants of the bright girls of DIA.

Track 10 – 乾坤坎離 (Independence Movement Day)

The beginning of the song is truly epic for a girl group, featuring patriotic trumpets and light piano chords, building anticipation for what is to come. While the song might be different from what is expected from the aforementioned grandness, it is nonetheless a song with unique, powerful instrumentals that strangely fit DIA.

Track 11 – 나랑 사귈래 (Will You Go Out With Me?) (2016)

There is nothing much noteworthy about this 2016 version of the title track. Apart from a few slight differences, they both sound exactly the same. But do to the song having some good hooks, it wouldn’t pose much of a problem to the flow of the album.

Track 12 – 꽃,달,술 (You Are My Flower) (DIA only version)

I find the same problem here as the last song: there is not much difference between the two versions of the song. However, I do like how this song allows DIA’s versatility across different genres to be fully seen, without a professional trot singer like Hong Jin Young overshadowing their vocals.

Track 13 – 나랑 사귈래 (Will You Go Out With Me?) (Ballad version)

At this point, I am tired of hearing different versions of the same song. However, what is sure to win hearts is the wistfulness and longing that is expressed here, something that is not shown in the title track. If I had not known the name of this song, I would have thought it was a different song, and that’s how massively different the two versions are.

Track 14 – 나랑 사귈래 (Will You Go Out With Me?) (Instrumental)

Not reviewed.

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