Album Review: A.C.E’s ‘Changer: Dear Eris’ will definitely leave you in a blissful daze

A.C.E’s repackaged album has some old favourites as well as new tracks that will warm the heart of every musicophile.

By Anoushka Mathew

Updated on Sep 05, 2021 | 03:57 PM IST | 802K

A.C.E concept photo; Photo Courtesy: BEAT Interactive

A.C.E’s latest musical venture, namely ‘Changer: Dear Eris’ is certainly an album that caters to various genre listeners. The repackaged album has 9 tracks- 3 completely new tracks and 6 revised versions of older and popular tracks. They have always been known to own the EDM genre in K-Pop with great songs like ‘Callin’, ‘Savage’, ‘Under Cover’, etc but with this album, they brought in a little of everything- from Donghun and Jun’s amazing vocals to Wow’s rap to vocal transition and that is just the beginning! Let’s take a look at each track in the album, shall we?

‘Intro: Revolutions’ is a sweet and nostalgic instrumental piece which is enhanced with a simple piano, guitar and cello melody. The slow melody suddenly dives into a faster pace with the introduction of drums, giving it a cinematic instrumental sound. It feels like someone is running with their full strength towards their destiny or one can say, the world of A.C.E.

The title track ‘Changer’ is different from previous title tracks with a lighter EDM instrumental, which makes it sound less noisy and more upbeat. The chanty chorus will definitely catch on during their concerts. The fast pace of the song gives it the feel of someone who is desperate to confess to their loved one and the lyrics go along with it. Donghun’s high note that he held post the bridge definitely raised goosebumps.

‘Black and Blue (Complete Version)’ is the 3rd track and sounds the most different compared to the rest of the tracks with the hip-hop, R&B instrumental and catchy rap verse. The original version was released in 2018 in the ‘A.C.E Adventures in the Wonderland’ by Jun and Wow’s sub-unit. This track indulges in heavy text painting with the trap beats, siren, etc and they play around with the vocal melody line by constantly going from major to minor, giving it a dark and sinister feel. Jun’s sliding high note was the most memorable part of the track!

The 4th track, ‘Down (Korean version)’ which is a revision of the original English song with Grey. The song’s theme is that they are bored and would be ‘down’ to do anything with their loved one. The soft beats and chorus definitely gives it a more easy-listening feel.

‘Talk You Down’ is a typical modern Korean ballad that belongs in an aesthetically pleasing K-Drama. The slow rap to vocals transition by Wow was extremely memorable for me. The song talks about getting rid of discomfort and bad thoughts that their loved one feels. They want to hug the problems away. Donghun’s voice in the chorus stands out as if he was made for the song! The last chorus went one octave above, which was an emotional and great choice on their part!

‘Jindo Arirang’ is a track that blends traditional Korean instrumental with modern sounds to create a beautiful performative piece. The pace changes in the middle which leaves the listeners slightly staggered but is smooth sailing from there. The trap beats surprisingly blend very well with the traditional instrumental. It’s an amazing track to dance but that goes without saying if it comes from the dancing kings themselves.

‘Cactus (English Version)’ is a revision of the 2017 track that springboarded them to fame. While listening to the English version was fun and nostalgic, it sort of sounds out of place as the Korean version obviously fits the EDM instrumental very well. Despite all that, the track is still pretty great. There is even a remix version of ‘Cactus’ on the album.

The album closer ‘Remember Us’ is a beautifully emotional track and is presented as a goodbye track for the listener as the album comes to an end. The lyrics aim to comfort the fans by telling them that they will be back soon and until then, remember them and their words in their heart. The choir-like chorus with the gorgeous ad-libs was the perfect way to end the amazing album.