At first listen, you may wonder why WayV’s latest release has been called a winter album, besides just the season we’re in. Then the saxophone and snow-simulating chimes of its title song “白色定格 (Eternal White)” settle in during the chorus, and it all begins to make sense.
Xiaojun’s rather lovely blue mop in its accompanying music video does well to sell the frosty themes too. Whilst we’re wearing furs and puffy coats to keep warm, the multifaceted WayV do so for the drip. The hip-hop ground is easily ridden on by the talented members, who are also known to ace the more fantasy-inspired songs of their previous comebacks like Phantom.
In comes “Moment in Time”: more suited for those expecting the likes of EXO’s The First Snow on a winter album. An abundance of strings move along the smooth romantic air of the song, and its many lyrics like ‘You’re like a ray of moonlight’ give it that perfect wintry feel.
For those with a keen ear, you might’ve spotted Ten’s throwback to the group’s incredibly popular song “Love Talk” in the intro of “Moment in Time”; both songs produced by LDN Noise. Ten’s lyrics ‘Time’s so fast (Fast) / Maybe I can trace it on a map (On a map) / Baby, bring it back‘ directly reference Yangyang’s famous verse: ‘Baby make it fast / We could put the country on the map / Run it back, you gon’ have me runnin’ laps.’ It’s not the instance we would have expected providing such a throwback, but we’re sure it’ll be appreciated by fans nonetheless.
The ballad “First Time” boasts the vocalists’ abilities, and “Strange Tears” begins like a lullaby, but transforms wildly in the choruses with kooky but charming production. It sonically encapsulates the atmosphere of a funfair; the chorus is a dizzy but riveting ride, and the verses are the warm and comforting hot chocolate breaks between.
Dem Jointz’s infamous tag brings us into fully English song “Stay”, a surprisingly calm beat for the producer. It gives way for the boys to make their point clear: ‘If you don’t wanna be here, you don’t have to stay‘, and Xiaojun’s ending iteration of the line seals the song with emphasis. Tearful album closer “Lover After Me” moves in that same vein, and we’re able to enjoy the emotion-fuelled vocals of Kun, Ten and Xiaojun, soaring into angelic falsettos like sharp skates along smooth ice.
Somehow, we no longer feel the need to wrap up warm.
You can listen to Eternal White here. WayV are on Instagram.