Winner – ‘Exit: E’ Album Review

This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.

After a fairly lengthy hiatus, the boys of Winner released their first EP, Exit: E shortly after the turn of the year. It’s obvious that they were hard at work during their off time; the members contributed heavily to the songwriting and production of Exit: E. Shedding the standard pop idol group image, Winner is embracing an organic and emotional music style presented in a highly refined mix genre album.

Track 1 – Baby Baby

Exit: E starts off with a simple yet addictive track Baby Baby. With a tranquil jazz undertone and groovy melody, it’s easy to get lost in the soulful vocals of Winner. The drums, strings, and electric guitar add just a hint of edge to drift the listener in and out of the dreamy ether.

Track 2 – 센치해 (Sentimental)

With a little more quirkiness and lightheartedness, Sentimental begins to pick up the pace and the mood. Possessing light guitar strums partnered with rhythmic drums, this hip hop track has an interesting soft rock aura to it. Not only is the composition of Sentimental fun, the lyrics are very witty as well, describing how much the boys miss a girl and become “sentimental” while lying in bed.

Track 3 – 철없어 (Immature)

Dawning upbeat tempo with expressive synths and rhythmic raps, the pop rock vibe continues with Immature. Winner playfully points out how childlike they are in this entertaining number. Immature is an amusing and peppy track where you can hear that Winner had a great time recording it. If you’re looking for something to let loose to, Immature is your track.

Track 4 – 좋더라 (I’m Young)

I’m Young is a ballad and Taehyun’s solo effort. This track allows him to show off his exquisite vocals. The soft and simple keyboard sounds lend well to Taehyun’s emotional vocal execution. I’m Young was written by Taehyun about a personal experience which helps make it even more relatable.

Track 5 – 사랑가시 (Pricked)

Pricked closes out Exit: E as a medium tempo serene ballad performed by Mino and Taehyun as a duo. The vocals and raps rise and fall seamlessly with the light guitars sounds that add a multitude of depth and character to the song. This is my favorite track because it seems raw with an unplugged acoustic feel. Not being overly produced allows for the listener to float up and down with the emotional mood of Pricked.

What Do You Think?

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