TWS have spent the better part of the year touring and promoting in Japan, so although they’ve been consistently busy it feels like they’ve been away for longer than normal. But before we move into year-end comeback hiatuses, they’ve returned with a new single album and title track Call My Name (내 이름을 불러줘). This song acts as a bit of a sonic swerve from their previous titles, though those familiar with follow-ups like Lucky To Be Loved and All The Possibilities will be familiar with this lighter, more melodic sound.
The guys previewed Call My Name extensively before today — so much so that I felt like I’d already heard half of the song. While everything sounded quite promising, I was concerned that HYBE’s love for a short track (2:38, in this case) would rob Call My Name of a proper climax and sense of finality. Thankfully, longtime collaborator Jin Jeon pulls off a few tricks that negate this worry.
The song has strong GFriend vibes, the way in which much of TWS’s earliest material operated. In this case, the entire package is draped in gorgeous symphonic touches courtesy of jazz pianist Yoon Seok-cheol. This is vital to the song’s success, as it offers a dramatic narrative throughline that keeps the momentum building until we reach a crescendo. It’s an incredibly warm sound and also goes a long way toward bolstering the instrumental’s overly familiar drum and bass percussion.
With TWS, melody has always been king. That’s one of the reasons they’ve become such a constant favorite of this blog. I’m not one hundred percent convinced by Call My Name‘s verses yet, but everything from the pre-chorus through the chorus is top tier. You really get to hear the guys’ vocals here as the melody sweeps in and strings underpin its centerpiece. And though we never get a proper bridge, the piano acts as an energy-builder into the final chorus. I would have liked this moment to last twice as long, as it still feels the song holds back to fit within its short runtime, but I’m delighted to hear actual payoff in a new HYBE release.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
Grade: A-
I like how well produced this song is. Every little details making this song even better on each listen.
Though this song is just 2:38 (how?) but the whole structure make me feels like if I’m listening to a 3min+ song.
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Side note: if this song get a riser & faller at least to a 9.5, then TWS’ average score will be at 9.21, surpassing Infinite (9.20).
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So proud of that but at the same time so scary coz they’re still relatively at their early stage of their careers versus the legendary Infinite who’s on their 16th year.
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The concept of a group overtaking Infinite, who are like Nick’s diamond darlings lol, is so uncanny, but then if a group deserves that torch, then it’s definitely TWS, they have such a promising run
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It would be a dream and such an honor for us Sais. But it gave me personally a bit of anxiety coz they’re very new compared to the legendary Infinite. A 9 RATING at this stage of their career is so crazy but they still have a long career. Their music might change. Their concept might change. So i fear if Nick would find some of their later songs arent up to his standards.
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Yeah, I do think that they will either end up like Seventeen who had an incredible 2015-2019 run and then became inconsistent to the point they became just Heavy Hitters, or Infinite who had a solid run for years but fizzled out a bit in the end or SHINee who have been consistent throughout with a couple clunkers. But then their 2024-2026 have been way better than Seventeen’s 2015-2019 so I do think they will do well for a couple years at the very least
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Time will tell how far TWS could go. But their current imperial phases of singles run are unstoppable for sure!
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I love the chorus so much, and the song also reminds me of Last Festival and hey! hey! with the sense of build-up and sentiments, except the latter is amped up here. I also love how the song feels complete despite its short time. Truly an incredible group I tell you.
9 (9, 8, 9, 10) for me.
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Would you do Buried Treasure for Heavy and WE UP too, Nick? I actually love Heavy so much.
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Heavy’s great!
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I’m pretty sure Nick will do an In-Depth Album Review, meaning that We Up and Heavy will most certainly have a review.
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Yes, I’ll do a full album review the way I usually do with TWS 🙂
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I like the song, but to me it felt too restraint at times when I was waiting for it to explode more! Also, as a personal preference, I wish they had been a little more creative with the pre chorus. An 8.75
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HYBE and Kpop in general recent trend of under 3 minutes song really putting constraint of the music they can put into. This song in particular would be greater if they’re like 3:15 , just like his sister Last Festival.
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Omg this is so healing, serving up gfriend crumbs🤩
It’s giving me a new sense of life and now I want to go skipping in a field with my friends🤩
Listening to this at 6 in the morning was genuinely a healing experience🥹
9/10🤩
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WE MISS U GFRIENDDD 😔😔
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I enjoy the call-to-action vibe this has, I’m reminded of ‘hey! hey!’ in that regard. The b-sides on this are great as well!
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Analysis: This track carries such nice momentum, driven by beautiful, shimmering synths. I could easily picture this being played in a bustling mall, spreading bright energy! The chanting fits in seamlessly without feeling out of place, adding to the overall upbeat vibe. Then, those strings come in hot to elevate the instrumentation! Even that odd, two-second Brazilian phonk moment worked in its own surprising way. A very fun start to the project!
2. Call My Name
Analysis: I think I’m truly starting to get TWS, my friends! This track feels both enchanting and sentimental all at once. It actually reminds me quite a bit of AHOF’s comeback from July, but this carries even more power and distinct character. Yes, it relies on that familiar Drum & Bass baseline we hear often these days, but the elements surrounding it are much stronger and richer than usual. While there are a couple of odd momentum pauses, the vast majority of the song rushes forward with purpose. The chorus is an absolute sentimental beast, anchored by sweeping strings and yearning vocals. I just know this one is going to grow on me even more with a few more listens!
3. Heavy
Analysis: If you’re listening on Spotify, this track plays right after “Call My Name,” and it serves as an exceptionally strong follow-up. The driving guitar rushes forward, beautifully blurring the line between a floating, weightless feeling and staying grounded. It works so well together, offering a clear sense of artistic purpose through the contrast between airy sweetness and compelling depth. As the longest track on the EP, it gets that wonderful extra space to breathe and build naturally.
Final Thoughts
While my numerical ratings might seem a bit modest at first glance, songs like “You, You” from the spring and now “Call My Name” are truly great! I might not be a full-fledged fan just yet, but this release offers such a wonderful contrast to what I’ve heard from them in the past. It feels very compelling and takes a step away from their usual sheer brightness to give us something a bit more layered and intriguing.
We will see what the future holds for TWS! There are endless possibilities for what they can give us, and it is such a grace and blessing to be able to experience their journey in real time as they grow.
Overall Album Rating: 8.42
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Great review !
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Wow, I appreciate you for this! Have a good one ☺️
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Gosh this is so good! The chorus really carries the song, so I’m glad it’s repeated three times. It also makes the song feel fully despite its short runtime. The members absolutely sing their hearts out too, which is so rare to hear from a fifth gen group
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Also, this will be so good on the end of year award shows
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I was thinking the same thing!
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I mean, it’s a nice plunky plunky song, but for me just that. The piano is the best part.
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really enjoyed this! both b-side tracks are great too.
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I can’t lie,(and sorry Nick if I offend you), I haven’t loved(as in giving a song a 9+) much of TWS’ recent output as that of their debut year. But this one is easily their best title track since. I really love that chorus and that pre-chorus which reminds me a lot of hey!hey! Definitely a top song of the year contender.
I’d say 9.25(9,10,9,9)
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You mention its similarities to Lucky To Be Loved and All The Possibilities but call my crazy, I think its most similar to Hey Hey. It’s certainly more subdued but the earnestness of it is so Hey Hey…
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Very tasteful stuff! I especially like the bridge. I feel this one has a 10 longevity for sure. Bravo!
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Thank God we can always trust TWS to bring great melodies to the table. It is actually a suprise how they have not been influenced by so many KPOP bad trends for the past years, except short song duration. It is actually a no easy feat considering how HYBE always managed to adapt the worst kind of trend lately. Yeah the verses were a bit weak but it is still a great song overall thanks to its ear-grabbing chorus and soul-stirring melodies. Even without bias, the song will still score a high 8+ easily.
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TWS WE CAN ALWAYS TRUST YOUU
The song is giving hey! hey!’s yearning brother to me, and the chorus is definitely the big highlight of the song. Knew from the short runtime we’d be getting a truncated bridge but at least we get a final third chorus with a dramatic buildup. It’s just such a relief to have a group like TWS right now bucking against the worst tendencies of the industry – pretty sure I saw a quote from Jihoon recently talking about the importance of TWS keeping their own sound rather than chasing trends which is great to see.
Also the choreo and MV got to me I almost cried 🥹 can’t wait for all the performances urgh
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Unlike a lot of commenters, I’m a massive fan who fully agrees with Nick’s lofty ratings for their sensational discography. I’d be shocked if this doesn’t eventually get a 10 rating. TWS has done it again!!!
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This is such a tearjerker of a song, I think it’s their best yet. This is also the first time that I feel like they have the emotional heart to live up to Seventeen’s incredible legacy. We Up reminded me a lot of Diamond Days.
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we all love bfriend
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U reminded me of the OG Boyfriend the group from 2nd gen era. All in all yeah TWS seems to be the male version of Gfriend.
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Very nice!! 8.75
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Very nice song. That chorus is quite satisfying and emotional. 9
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You know what? I’m kinda falling for the TWS propaganda that’s been spreading for two years in this blog! It is kinda endearing to see how much they are loved in here. It reminds me of the love and praises I had for most NewJeans songs and my love for XG (best believe I’m gonna be insufferable when their new song drops on Friday).
As per the actual song, this is probably one of HYBE’s best releases (if not the best) this year. The production is great, I really loved the piano (my favorite element in the song). It’s also great to see a drumb & bass song that isn’t a watered-down version of the genre or a ripoff of NewJeans.
I’m gonna check out this group’s discography again. I might be missing out. To me, most of their releases have ranged from “I don’t care for this” to “it’s ok.” Maybe I need to pay more attention and listen with more care!
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I don’t know what type of music u like but if u have the same taste like Nick you’ll definitely checked them out and love them.
They’re unarguably having the best discography among the top 5th gen groups out there. Bar none. They’re evolving yet consistent and rarely dissapoints.
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Please don’t attack me for saying this.
It’s not a bad song, but having been a fan of them since debut, I expected something more. This song is on the weaker side of their already strong discography in my opinion. I was a bit let down, if I’m being honest, maybe because I have too much expectation for them.
I don’t hate it though. I’ll give it an 8.5, but I know it’ll grow on me with repeating listens.
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Fair but i think this song is stronger than You , You. The MV and the song is better. It has clearer vision and message.Didnt care about TT hook either.You , You felt like it wants to follow up Overdrive’s high with another Tiktok hook but failed in execution.
Their early works is still my favourite actually. Thats what made me their fans.
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What does TT hook mean?
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TikTok sir
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Those genuine emotions are why TWS are my favorite 5th gen group! they capture that exhilarating feeling of something new beginning like no other—whether it’s a first meeting with a crush, making friends, chasing a goal, or transitioning into adulthood—the sincerity and passion in their delivery makes these experiences feel alive and immersive for the listener. There’s so much earnesty and passion in how they present their music that you can’t help but get swept up in it. I’m excited to see how their sound evolves from here.
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