Super Junior’s new album ‘Devil’ is diabolically trendy
SEOUL: Grooving to Super Junior’s new album Devil can leave you bouncing so high you’re going to hit your head on the ceiling.
Devil is a special release celebrating 10 years since the group’s debut.
Featuring bouncy, stylised beats and collaborating with an eclectic bunch of musicians, the new album sees the band branching out musically and appealing to a wider audience.
In more than a few ways, Super Junior has arguably been a group atypical to SM Entertainment.
At a label known for producing ultramodern pop beats and veiling its artists in a pristine public image, the 12-member group currently comprising nine active members has often taken itself less seriously than its fellow SM groups Shinee or TVXQ, with comical television personas and music that has relied heavily on playful, addictive hooks like those in Sorry Sorry, Rokkugo!!! and Bonamana.
In this new album, however, Super Junior largely sheds the jest of its previous releases for a sexier, more sophisticated sound, following through a transition that began with the swanky 2014 release This is Love.
The title track, Devil, speaks of an irresistible attraction toward a woman who is at once “cool” and “hot” – schizophrenia comes to mind.
It is produced by a hip team comprised of the Stereotypes, a Grammy Award-nominated, multi- ethnic production trio that has previously worked with Far East Movement, Ne-Yo and Justin Bieber; Kenzie, SM’s favourite in-house composer; and composer Micah Powell.
The result makes for a highly stylised groove, underpinned with sleek guitar riffs, funky brass and abundant use of falsetto.
Super Junior members also contributed, with Donghae’s compositions Don’t Wake Me Up, a feel- good pop track about falling in love, and Alright, which speaks of the bond of friendship among the teammates in lyrics written by Eun-hyuk.