Cover Art: Raeeda Rahman
The intensity and warmth of the summer sunshine bring in the youthful, and enchanting feelings of romance. TWICE, a nine-member female K-pop group captured those emotions in their remarkable 10th mini album. TWICE has had an incredible musical progression over the years. This album is no exception, and with each listen, I discover new elements of each song that I love! “Taste Of Love” depicts passion and spontaneity-filled summer romances on tropical getaways!
TWICE has explored many concepts since their debut in the fall of 2015. Recently, they’ve been branching off from an “innocent” image to something more spiced up that exudes sexiness and maturity, as can be seen in their 2020 album “Eyes Wide Open.” This branching out can be seen as a means of combating the stereotype of innocent, cute, and youthful girls that is prevalent in Korean media and social understandings of what a woman should be like. TWICE has instead shown independence, confidence, and the embodiment of a mature, adult woman. Not only does this reflect how they have developed as artists, but also how talented and brilliant all of the girls are, as they can adapt to and sing a variety of musical styles.
Let's discuss some of my personal favorites from this album!
‘ALCOHOL-FREE’
In the main song of the album, ‘Alcohol-Free,’ the feel of the beat of the drums and the bossa-nova elements in the strums of the guitar, conjure up images of lounging on golden sand beaches, sipping on the swirls of a colorful cocktail drink. The music video is filled with sparkling, vivid outfits, and the Latin-inspired choreography brings everything together. The constant catchy tune and mentions of alcoholic drinks in the chorus convey the feeling of being drunk on summer love; the butterflies building in the pit of your stomach, the way your heart skips a beat, burning passion, and a brief, bittersweet ending.
‘First Time’
Lyrics by Jihyo
What truly captures listeners on this song is the beautiful falsettos and sensual romantic vibe, and of course Mina’s iconic line, “strawberry kisses taste so good to me,” a line that sends chills up your spine and has your face feeling hot! One of the composers of this song is Jade Thirlwall, one of Little Mix’s vocalists. Many fans who are both ONCES and MIXERS (fans of TWICE and Little Mix), truly adored how you could hear the similarities of Little Mix’s songs in the way the song was executed.
‘SOS’
Lyrics by Dahyun
‘SOS’, another amazingly underrated b-sidetrack, has an almost retro, 80’s inspired rhythm, with a modern twist. With one listen, you find yourself hooked onto this deadly, addictive combo. The collaborative, “melancholic lyrics” that many fans described, match perfectly with the funky and unique tune, and the suave sounds of the synthesizer and electric piano loops.
To conclude, TWICE’s 10th mini-album, “Taste Of Love,” is absolute gold. There has not been one song I haven’t enjoyed, and many fans can agree this is a must-listen for this summer, and should definitely be added to your playlists if it hasn't been already!