Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | November 5, 2024
EPEX is back with their second full-length album and the latest addition to their Youth trilogy, Youth Chapter 2 : YOUTH DEFICIENCY. This release is a continuation of the story from the group’s April 2024 release, Youth Chapter 1 : YOUTH DAYS, which portrayed the inevitable challenges of juvenility and falling in love, told from the perspective of one youth speaking to another. Youth Chapter 2 : YOUTH DEFICIENCY describes the struggle many youths experience in confronting their shortcomings and the constant decisions that must be made in order to fulfill these insufficiencies. Through this album, EPEX hopes to offer comfort to those who are enduring their own growing pains in life.
“We worked hard to make a better album, to show EPEX’s growth, and to empathize more with all the listeners of our album. We wanted to create the stage with our colour, focusing on not only the performance but also delicate expressions, so we thought of many ways to express the message that we wanted to convey through this album. Please look forward to the second story of youth by EPEX.” - KEUM, member of EPEX.
“The story of youth we shared since our first full-length album expresses the ‘EPEX at the current moment,’ so I empathized more while working on the album. It truly carries our sincerity, and I believe this album will provide solace to the listeners in their youth. We’ll work harder to grow even more with gratitude to our fans who always support us. Thank you.” - MU, member of EPEX.
The album comprises of eight new tracks.
The title track, “UNIVERSE,” features a shuffle beat and straight-forward melody and depicts one’s choice to make a special person their whole universe.
“My Girl,” the album’s pre-release track released on October 14th, is a groovy R&B love song that portrays the awkward clumsiness that can come with falling in love and sourcing the courage to express those feelings.
The next track, “낭만소녀 (1997),” tells of an enigmatic girl that one cannot help but wish to understand. “It is what it is” is an upbeat, bubbly track that brings a message that many in their youth crave to hear: it is okay to not be perfect.
“Attosecond” speaks to the fleeting nature of youth and how it feels like it can pass by in the blink of an eye or an “attosecond,” equivalent to one quintillionth of a second.
“경이로운 일상 (Wonderful)” is a drum and bass song that conveys the small but miraculous moments that provide fulfillment in one’s day-to-day life.
“잃어버린 것들에 대하여 (Closer)” depicts the loss of youth and the regret but eventual growth that results.
The final track, “Loner,” closes this chapter on a hopeful note and evokes the message that one is never truly alone in their loneliness and that the feeling should be embraced rather than ignored.
About EPEX
EPEX (이펙스) is an eight-member boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of WISH, KEUM, MU, A-MIN, BAEKSEUNG, AYDEN, YEWANG, and JEFF. Their name describes them as “the gathering of eight youths reaches eight different apexes.” It represents the 8 members forming a collective, powerful new team. They debuted on June 8, 2021, with the 1st EP, BIPOLAR Pt.1: Prelude of Anxiety.
After performing the title track, “Lock Down”, of their first EP, for SBS MTV's “THE SHOW” they were nominated for 1st place just 15 days after their debut, making them one of the most anticipated groups of 2021. EPEX achieved the No.1 album sales among K-POP idols who debuted in 2021 and were chosen as a global super rookie in the ‘Hanteo Global K-pop Report’ released by Hanteo Chart, standing up as a fourth-generation group representative.
AWARDS
● The 5th Korea’s 2021 Youth Day Ambassador
● The 31st High1 Seoul Music Awards Rookie of the Year Award
● The 29th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards Rookie of the Year Award
● 2021 The 29th Hanteo Music Awards Rookie Awards
● 2022 The 30th Hanteo Music Awards Emerging Artist Award Winner
● 2023 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards Male Idol Rising Star
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