Golden Child AURA: In-Depth Album Review – 3! 6! 5! | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion

It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs.

1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // 6. Miracle

3! 6! 5!

In my perfect version of Aura’s promotions, 3! 6! 5! would be given the follow-up music video treatment, continuing the “Golden Child as sport teams” tradition established since their debut. They did it for Breathe last year. Why not repeat the tactic?

I love how, even when promoting an edgier track, Golden Child return to the production team that developed the bright, poppy sound of their early career. 3! 6! 5! comes courtesy of MosPick, the driving force behind earlier singles DamDaDi, Let Me and Pump It Up. This new track follows in these footsteps but feels a little more refined. It reminds me of early Seventeen – a group Golcha have often cited as a strong influence.

With that said, nobody thrives in this style more than Golden Child. Their natural personality pokes through, giving the music so much character. Moments that could feel cheesy instantly win you over through the group’s sheer exuberance and commitment to the material. Not to be too clever with my wording, but this has always felt like their true “aura.”

Beyond that, 3! 6! 5! is just a really great pop song. The galloping beat is energetic from the start, hitting with a sense of optimistic drive that’s impossible to resist. Hearkening back to 2020’s Pump It Up, the guys deliver a volley of lively harmonies during the standout pre-chorus. The chorus itself is one big ball of sunny energy, punctuated by a chant-along hook guaranteed to get you moving. A rhythmic breakdown builds us back to the finale, sending the track out on a high. It’s fantastic work all around.

Hooks	9
Production	9
Longevity	9
Bias	10
RATING	9.25

11 thoughts on “Golden Child AURA: In-Depth Album Review – 3! 6! 5!”

That’s the type of big, vocal-centered euphoric pop songs I wanna see the industry tackle more often in the landscape of dated, deeply uninteresting noise music. Still, I don’t think this one is perfect, the instrumental feels a bit undercooked for me. My rating would be 8.75.

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Every time I see what MosPick has done for boy groups, then look at what he’s done for girl groups, I weep. T_T

At first this was almost too cloying for me (the “na na na na na na 365” part is dangerously reminiscent of “Dynamite”/”Permission to Dance”) and they manage to throw a “skrrt” in there but you know what, this song actually really feels fun. I suspect the production not being as heavy-handed on their vocals helps. And I love the guitar, because of course I do.

High 8s for me, maybe even a 9. But I do enjoy this a lot!

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Golcha + Mospick is always a good choice, I’d say this is my second favorite track from this combination. The climax here is super strong! And man, Golden Child’s vocals are to die for.

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Golcha do bright theme so well. Every now and then some random commentator does a drive-by complaint about why Nick doesn’t rate their stan bright theme higher, usually one of we regulars respond that there are better ones. Here, here is one right here right now. Bright theme poppy and fresh without pastel sailor suits. Really well done bright theme.

I agree with Bae- about the undercooked instrumental. It sounds canned. It is canned. Compared to the vocals the instrumental is so tightly contained, and it could be pumped up a but a whole bunch without detracting from the vocals. It almost makes me want to hear a band cover it, like NFlying. I want to hear a drop out in a penultimate chorus too just hand clapping along to the melody. Clap along with the audience style. adlib over that clapping. Other ideas too. There is a lot more they could or could have done.

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I feel like this is a less charming version of DamDaDi. Somehow it feels a little generic, but it’s still straightforward fun, and that tends to age well for me.

The na na nas immediately took me back to PTD as well lol

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