ATEEZ often deliver multiple music videos to support their albums, but there’s not usually much space between the two releases. It’s been nearly a month since the group dropped Inception, and this wait makes Thanxx feel like a real single of its own rather than one half of a pair. Like their Wave/Illusion release last year, the guys teased each track and had fans vote for which one should be the title. Based upon the teaser, my vote went for Inception, which eventually won. But after hearing both tracks in full, I actually prefer Thanxx.
I don’t think that this song (or any song from their new album, actually) lives up to their very best material, but Thanxx harnesses that undeniable ATEEZ energy, making the song feel satisfying all the way through. The track quickly establishes its swaggering rhythm, a blend of nimble guitar, trap beats and the occasional vocal flourish. This sound is right within ATEEZ’s wheelhouse, and remains consistent across the entire song. That isn’t to say its groove is entirely lockstep. The instrumental is at its best when the percussion becomes a bit more spontaneous.
Thanxx’s hook is more chant than melody, which works well in this context. It’s arranged with a larger-than-life heft, taking advantage of the “let’s sail the seven seas!” energy that powered much of their Treasure series. The track also builds to a great climax, as electric guitar enters to support the climb toward an exciting Jongho power note. Thanxx is really the sound of ATEEZ in their comfort zone – almost like a victory lap after their 2018-19 ascent. That makes it more comfort food than revelation, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
really enjoyed this one. Personally I don’t like it more than Inception because that one hit an emotional note with me. Thanxx is still good though and I’ll give it an 8.75. It’ll either rise up to a 9 with further promotions or might drop to an 8.25/8.5 if I overplay it. Other than that I’m pretty happy with this comeback. The album was very consistent but yeah there wasn’t a Wonderland or Wave here, even if Inception comes close for me.
Also EDEN said in an interview that ATEEZ didn’t target an international audience like most groups doing girl-crush or more hip-hop favoured concepts have. EDEN said that they just made the music they wanted to make and it happened to be loved internationally so that must’ve been a pleasant surprise for them. I find that interesting and wonder if future groups will follow ATEEZ or Stray Kids in hope to break out worldwide.
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That’s really interesting to hear, especially since ATEEZ have become one of the biggest international breakthroughs in this generation in K-pop.
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Yeah I thought the same. Personally if groups were to take anything away from these teams I hope it would be their bombastic ‘go hard or go home’ sound. I want groups to go big, and make me go wow. In the future I can see E’Last following ATEEZ’s footsteps as they are huge fanboys of them and they do seem very inspired by Ateez
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I’ll give the song a solid 7.5 minus the CA theme
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I’ll give the song a solid 7.5 minus the CA theme
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I understand why you prefer Thanxx over Inception, but i have to disagree. In terms of fluidity and intensity i much prefer Thanxx, but it is the choices of instrumentation which disappoints me. As a listener of purely electronic/digital music, Inception hits all the right spots (for me) in terms of the instrumental and Thanxx completely misses. If im being honest, i really don’t care about vocals, its the instrumental that really decides whether I like a song.
If i had to rate both of them it would go something like this:
Inception
Hooks: 8
Production: 9
Longevity: 9
Bias: 10
RATING: 9
Thanxx
Hooks: 8
Production: 8
Longevity: 8
Bias: 5
RATING: 7.25
Thanxx for listening 😊
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I don’t stan Ateez or anything but boy am I glad that there exists in kpop a PIRATE MUSIC boy group… I really really hope they stick with the piratey instrumentals (like that super low brass hit that’s in a lot of their songs, love that for them) and the piratey rhythms and chants. Thanxx is really Ateez in their element
And though I’m really tired of kpop rappers doing the triplet flow over and over again it really works with Ateez’s pirate concept, especially because the whole thing is so campy
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Yes! No matter what I think of the song or comeback. I always love the energy they bring and how they always seem so inspired. It’s also nice to know that they aren’t giving it up anytime soon
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I will second rap triplet as being overused as well. Not just here, but going back a few years. They all think they are being clever and showing off their mad skillz, but at this point it is par for the course.
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I definitely preferred Inception until today. It’s still my favorite because of the hooks, but the Thanxx mv really raised my opinion of the song. They perform high energy songs so well, & seeing that in the mv made me like Thanxx a lot more. Like you said, it’s ATEEZ in their comfort zone, which is a great thing, & that comes across in their performance.
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I prefer Inception, but I also think Inception is their weakest title so far. I’m just not vibing too much with this latest release. I do appreciate the tempo and the way they perform but this is just not for me.
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iirc this song may have been delayed because one of the kids is wearing blue dreads, which caused some social media stir in June from the teasers, a quick apology, and they redid as much as they could to minimize as much as possible or completely get rid of all images with the hairstyle in all the promo materials that weren’t already printed. I don’t know if that is the full story for the delay, and I didn’t follow all of the stories in the news, but I think it may have gone something like that.
I favor this one over Inception because it is more campy and more fun. Actually, I have’t even bought Inception yet – its one of those that I will someday when there is a lull, but for Thanxx I was clicking over to itunes store half way through the track.
This song just fits more with my need for camp. And pirate hip hop too. My smile and chuckle started right from the first measures with the (what is it?) Indian style melody and twangy string instrument. Sounds like a sitar to me, but could be something else.
Go hard or go home. Ateez is new different fresh, they have a point of view, and yet at the same time they fit into the kpop gestalt well enough to still be what we are all listening to. It is also how Seventeen built such a large fan base organically on a small budget with Mansae + Nice one-two punch followed by Dont Wanna cry and etc.
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Actally they let fans vote for whichever title track was promoted first. And because of the Cultural Appropriation, we didn’t want Ateez to get hate so we mass voted for Inception
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Ah, so a variation on that. I only followed the headlines not the full articles, so thank you for letting us all know what happened.
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I loved it.
I liked inception and respected the track but it wasn’t seen much on my playlist. But this one is such a well balanced song. I enjoyed all the parts of the song and is already a permanent track on my list currently.
A very well deserved 9.
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i just recently watched it but shitt why the fck the mv is full of CA? lol anyway the song i’ll give it a 7 (good but not great) the vocals are good the rappers though they are getting annoying and boring they need to change their style of rapping it works with the past releases like (pirate king, say my name, wave, halahala, wonderland etc.) but not in their 2020 comebacks they sound so pretentious like hell stop cupping the mic jesus these guys sound like an ape.
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I know that I am late and It’s been like three months but You are just using the excuse of “This is my opinion” to act like an Arse.
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Finally a listenable Ateez era! I started not being able to get behind any of Ateez’ releases from Wave/Illusion onwards as they continued to disappoint me while I used to stan, but this mini dragged me back in. Thanxx and Inception are competent slickly produced songs and Good Lil Boy is a discography highlight.
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Alright I am back here , And I just want to say That Inception has passed Thanxx for me…………
That’s it…….
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