It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new album, Game Changer and repackage DDARA!
1. Game Changer (Intro) // 2. Ra Pam Pam // 3. DDARA // 4. Oasis // 5. Bottom Of The Ocean // 6. Fanfare // 7. Singing In The Rain // 8. Game // 9. Spell // 10. Out The Window // 11. Poppin’ // 12. That Feeling // 12. I Know
Oasis
For the first time since their 2017 debut, I feel completely indifferent about a Golden Child comeback (hence the lateness of this b-side review). It’s an odd, unexpected twist. I mean, I know they released new songs this week, but it somehow feels like nothing was released at all. I just can’t muster any enthusiasm for the music this time around.
I’m confident this will be a one-off – a combination of lackluster songs, repackage fatigue, and half-hearted promotion from Woollim. I’m certainly not throwing away my fan card!
Apart from DDARA, Oasis is the only new addition to August’s Game Changer album. Its most notable aspect is a co-writing credit from member Tag, who has often expressed interest in producing. Beyond lyrics, I’m not sure exactly what parts of the instrumental Tag worked on. My hope is that he had a hand in Oasis’s verses and pre-chorus, which are easily its strongest assets.
The song chugs along nicely here, recapturing some of the upbeat energy that Golden Child made their name on. The vocals during these segments are also very satisfying. It’s great to hear the guys’ performance without a ton of fidgety production thrown over the top. The melody isn’t particularly catchy, but the delivery sells it.
I’m less enthused with the chorus. The refrain is fine, but that clunky EDM production feels ripped from 2018. A more interesting series of synth tones would have improved the overall effect and made Oasis stand out. The track works as a vocal spotlight, but its fitful arrangement makes for a somewhat leaden addition to the front half of the album. Still, I’m interested to hear what else Tag has up his sleeve.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Though I hope this won’t happen, I have a feeling that after Daeyeol enlists..Golden Child will get the “Lovelyz” treatment. Long Hiatuses for absolutely no valid reason and stuff…
*But I desperately hope it won’t happen*
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I hope not! The fact that they’re currently the highest-selling act in the agency makes me think Woollim will be more frequent with their comebacks.
Also, long hiatuses seem to be less common with boy groups.
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I mean, they threw INFINITE under the bus, so I am not sure if we can trust Woollim.
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i SINCERELY hope this won’t be the case. [ YES. ] and Game Changer were among my favorite albums this year (yeah, exclusively game changer, because i barely consider the Ddara additions part of the album at all…) and i genuinely think they have some of Golcha’s strongest material.
i’m hoping they will keep promoting as 9 or at least release some sub-units for the next 2 years.
though… i’m also very pessimistic about these possibilities considering they’re not really what woollim has done to its older groups.
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i don’t know if it’s because i found Ddara incredibly soulless that it killed my enthusiasm for the this song but i kinda of feel nothing at all for this. it reminds me of some older kpop ballads and it made me a little nostalgic at first, but it ended up only being ~ there ~ for me.
quite a shame considering i found Game Changer so strong, but i think it’s best like this since can now go and buy the GC album without feeling guilty about it not having these 2 songs.
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hey nick! rather unrelated but will you be covering the 4 songs from Girls Planet 999?
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I’ll have to give them a listen and see what I think, but no I’m not currently planning to write about them. I haven’t been following the show.
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I liked both tracks very much but I’ll probably trade in my Game Changer for credit at the record store and use it to buy Ddara. But I’m far from rushing to do that.
I’ll tell you now that the same evil masterminds that got me to buy three different Sam Cooke gospel albums for 2 non-overlapping songs each are behind these repackages. At least Taemin compiled his two albums, and NCT gave you a fistful of new tracks for Resonance. As a baby Kpop fan, I am perturbed. It doesn’t help that Don’t Call Me and Atlantis are equally gorgeous packages. But I just don’t want to go deep, deep, deep into debt.
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You must not be a real stan! (I am kidding)
It’s one of the dirty secrets of kpop, how sales are inflated by stans with money to burn buying all the multiple covers and the reissues. I’m old, so if I buy a physical album, I buy one copy, and then actually play the CD that comes in the package. That CD, it actually plays.
For economizing, may I suggest wait to hear the album from your lesser stans, buy the good songs on itunes if meh, buy the full album on itunes if ok, and buy the physical album if great. They don’t really sell out that quickly. (Except for the Dreamcatcher one with “Scream” which is unobtanium except for bucu on ebay.)
Back in my day, vinyl albums were at most $10 and CD’s $15. or about three albums per night of babysitting.
Someday in a few decades hence there will be a whole trove of BTS Love Yourself albums in all the charity shops, just like there are so many Sing Along with Mitch albums.
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I am old, too. And I do play CDs! I have two copies of the Kai album because the CD was bad and got worse and not because I wanted the cute flipbook (well, maybe a little). I have to really not preorder. I’ve been lucky so far (except for BE, that was something) but I’m sure my luck is gonna run out. And you know buying “old” CIX and OOO albums (4 months old) made not a bit of difference. Good advice!
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Its definitely a show off the vocals track. As such, it works fine.
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Don’t really like the song, but it works out in the end since I dont have a physical copy of game changer and I ordered this album.
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Okay, so I feel so weird being the only one enjoying the repackage. Sure, it is not perfect, but both songs do some things right.
Nick, are the unpromoted MV songs from Game Changer (Singing in the Rain etc), counted as singles for your lists?
BTW, I think Game Changer’s base edition is the one that will make Nick’s End-of-Year list.
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I don’t think I’ll count them as singles since the mvs were part of an online variety show and not all are “professionally” made. But, it’s definitely a gray zone. For now, I’m calling them b-sides.
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Pingback: Golden Child DDARA: In-Depth Album Review – Oasis | Beatsway
It’s pleasant enough, but nothing I’m overly excited about. I watched a couple of the “Ddara” stages but it hasn’t really grown on me, and I keep getting distracted by trying to decide if they’re intentionally going for “menswear department attendant” for their concept.
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