Release Date: December 13, 2017
Tracklist:
- Hands Up
- Moondance
- Think Hole
Total Runtime: 0:10:28
Recommended for: Those looking for a high-energy album, loyal fans.
NOT recommended for: Those expecting Noir level quality.
B.A.P has managed to balance a world tour with the release of three new single albums this year: Rose (March), Blue (September), and now Ego. And if we care to compare the three, Ego would come in a cozy second place. Rose was too a unique blend of rock and r&b to give up its top spot, and Blue while not bad, can easily get lost in B.A.P’s monstrous discography of more memorable and catchy tracks.
Ego, much like it’s predecessors, contains three new tracks; all distinctively different from each other yet cohesive in their own way. Ego makes an attempt to go back to B.A.P’s original concept and sound that we know from releases like Warrior and Badman. But can anything really beat those classic songs we love B.A.P for?
Track 1 – Hands Up
The title track of Ego, Hands Up, is a song that really can go two ways; you either love it, or hate it, and you really need to have the taste for it to be able to enjoy it. While it’s clear it wants to tap into the vibe that Warrior puts off, this song just doesn’t have the same energy and hype. It just feels flat. It doesn’t have even a moment of excitement or intrigue and overall it just seems plain. B.A.P has developed a habit of putting some of the more weaker tracks on their album as the title track, but this is a bit extreme even for them. If there was one B.A.P song that had to labeled as their weakest title track, this would most certainly be the one.
Track 2 – Moondance
On the extreme contrary of Hands Up, if you’re really looking for a stellar B.A.P song, Moondance is an amazing option. It has a slight dreamy feel, mixed with an awesome dance break and incredibly smooth vocals from the group’s main vocal, Daehyun. Not to mention both rap breaks in this song glide perfectly across the beat and the transitions between singing and rapping are done beautifully, making Moondance the best track on Ego.
Track 3 – Think Hole
The final track on Ego, Think Hole, has major American pop vibes; especially during the chorus. That being said, if you’re really into the house/EDM trends in American pop, you might be really into this song. It has a clear tropical vibe that probably would have fit better on their September release, Blue. And in a lot of ways this song seems like a more subdued and mature version of B.A.P’s other EDM inspired tracks like That’s My Jam and Do What I Feel. This is a genre and style that B.A.P has been experimenting with quite a bit over the past year, and they’re steadily improving how they make this style their own.
