Tay Tawan & New Thitipoom, LUCY, ONE PACT, Yaochen and WE US offer up some great songs to help close out 2023 with!
“Loudest Love” by Tay Tawan and New Thitipoom
I can’t say enough great things about the premiere of the Thai adaptation of Cherry Magic. The first episode was wonderful. And then it ended with the amazing theme song performed by Tay and New. “Loudest Love” is just the most feel-good song you will enjoy all year. And definitely a last-minute entry to my year-end list in a few weeks. A fun, sweet and warm track that is so well-suited to Tay and New and to the series’ wholesome vibes.
“Boogie Man” by LUCY
Band LUCY always delivers some engaging performances. And “Boogie Man” is definitely another one. It is a mysterious and dramatic emo-pop track that talks of the feelings that creep up within you when you least expect it. The song plays very well on that tension throughout. And it’s another great showcase of what LUCY is capable of. “Boogie Man” is paired with B-side track “Over the Christmas,” also a similarly dramatic track which presents the other side of the story from “Boogie Man”.
“Must Be Nice” by ONE PACT
Finally catching up with the debut of ONE PACT. I’ve been intrigued by the group as it is made up of many familiar faces for me. And wowow, “Must Be Nice” is definitely very good. I am so impressed by their debut track as it is definitely an atypical route to go for a rookie group. But “Must Be Nice” is such a refreshing track that has the group singing about how nice it is to have someone who cares for one no matter how selfish you might act. The moody, dramatic track is absolutely captivating, as is the cinematic music video.
The rest of the debut album Moment features hip-hop and R&B dance tracks, all of which great in their own right. But “Must Be Nice” is really an attention-grabber
“Adventure Player” by Yaochen
I’ve enjoyed getting to know Yaochen this year. And he closes out the year with a new release in “Adventure Player”. The title track, with both English and Chinese versions, has an addictive melody and is a bass-powered combination of EDM, R&B and electro pop. The encouraging lyrics match Yaochen’s powerful performance.
“Starry Dream” by WE US
“Fate” by WE US
I missed WE US’ debut earlier this year. But they make their first comeback with their double title tracks “Starry Dream” and “Fate”. “Starry Dream” is a sweet pop track with a hopeful message. And its dreamy melody offers a warm feeling. “Fate,” meanwhile, is a very different track. A darker and more dramatic track with a nice touch of traditional Korean instrumentals. Very much a performance track and the group delivers a powerful one.
A few members departed the group just a few months after debut, so this release is a bit of a restart for the remaining four. And it certainly makes for great introduction for anyone, like myself, just meeting them. Will definitely look forward to what they have to offer in the future.