For the first time while listening to a xikers album highlight medley, I had the pleasant sensation of feeling like their agency chose the correct title track. For context, there’s usually at least one great track on every xikers album, yet it rarely gets chosen for promotion. DIENAMITE comes a little late in the season (this should have been out before Halloween!), but it’s one of the most convincing mash-ups of rock and dance a recent K-pop group has delivered.
This is my preferred mode for xikers’ music and (importantly) it distinguishes them from their many 5th gen peers. The song won’t be for everyone, but that’s a good thing. It zigs when others zag and stands out as something quite different. The entire track is driven by a pounding industrial beat. It’s noisy and big but always intentionally doled out for maximum effect. And those looking for ambition in your K-pop are going to love the electric guitar solo (!) that pops up to flavor DIENAMITE‘s finale.
The only area I’d dock DIENAMITE is its chorus. The songwriters take the easy route here, riding the beat for a repetitive — somewhat flat — hook. For a song like this, which is basically an explosion of energy from start to finish, a strong chorus would simply be icing on the cake. However, I’m patiently waiting for the moment K-pop can get back to offering both incredible instrumental bombast and equally dynamic melodies. That’s where the entire industry is at its best, and DIENAMITE nearly gets there.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
Fuck, I love the rock chorus so much, I hope they continue developing this rock sound cause between this and past hits like Do or Die and Bittersweet, they can carve an incredible niche here.
Rating’s the same.
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Analysis: Honestly, I don’t really care for this one very much. For the most part, it brings solid energy, a bit of creepiness, and undeniable flair. The verses feature a nice, thumping baseline even if the background vocal sample feels a little distracting. However, the production effects applied during the chorus sound quite jarring and odd to my ears. We do get a lovely guitar solo to wrap things up at the end, making this feel like a slightly spookier, less cohesive version of “Do or Die.”
2. GO
Analysis: Why does this sound so much like Stray Kids? I am primarily referring to the sluggish beat structure, and for a brief moment, one of the members sounds strikingly like Bang Chan. It can be difficult to fully enjoy heavy rap tracks when there are immense amounts of autotune involved, as it obscures the true vocal tone and unique character that makes hip-hop so great. Everyone ends up sounding a bit too similar, and the track fizzles out before you even realize it’s ending.
3. Mask Off
Analysis: Now this track carries very, very subtle hints of TWS’s “Oh Mymy : 7s.” You have to listen closely to the electro-synths to catch what I mean, though the overall vibe and delivery are obviously vastly different from TWS’s style. This is definitely the most digestible and accessible track on the project, fitting the Halloween season remarkably well.
4. One
Analysis: I can easily picture fans singing this in a circle, jumping around with high energy and hyping each other up. That said, we have definitely heard xikers explore this exact sound signature before at a similar level. While I can’t pinpoint the exact track off the top of my head, it has that quintessential “xikers” stamp. The subtle video game undertones aren’t bad either! Perhaps they might benefit from stepping back from the intense “bad boy” persona to unleash a bit more of their natural quirkiness? Given the right production and creative direction, I could see them delivering something delightfully unexpected in the vein of Block B.
5. DUMB
Analysis: I do recall xikers experimenting with electro-pop sounds on past EPs alongside tracks like “Superpower,” and I definitely found plenty of enjoyment in that style. However, this particular track feels a bit “lazy.” It touches on a broader trend I’ve noticed among modern “bad boy” boy groups: a tendency to perform as if they don’t care about anything, all in an effort to project cool, effortless swag.
Regrettably, this left me feeling disappointed—much like BigBang’s summer comeback, which felt like a bit of a letdown when they truly deserved a far grander 20th-anniversary song! (You know what? They really need a comprehensive album release like Super Junior!).
6. Sanctuary
Analysis: Of course, they saved the best for last! I could almost hear shades of Donghae’s style here, though the track also carries a Trap-R&B flow reminiscent of LNGSHOT. While I’m not a huge fan of this genre overall, it offers a pleasantly chill, relaxing vibe that doesn’t feel forced like some of the more aggressive offerings on the EP. It serves as a gentle, comforting grace note to wrap up the listening experience.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this release doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table for xikers, standing as fairly average work for their current standards.
Even when an album doesn’t completely resonate with my personal taste, I remain truly thankful for the dedication and hard work these young men pour into their craft. I pray for their continued health, artistic maturation, and that they are blessed with music that allows their genuine personalities to shine through even brighter in the future!
Overall Album Rating:7.75
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Love the energy and twists and turns of this, feels like it would fit right at home on the Dorohedoro soundtrack, especially with the creepy kid chanting that pops up throughout.
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The new album is actually much more palatable than their last releases, especially the title track. I really like these kind of rock industrial beat and solo guitar part. While the chorus did sell somewhat short, the powerful energy was more than enough to support the song till the end .The rap cadence also did not obstruct the flow of energy and channel it well to the next part. Pairing it with halloween vibe was also a nice idea. The other B-sides were just so-so unfortunately.
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I consider myself a xikers fan, but this song really doesn’t appeal to me, and the EP ain’t much better. I can’t detect a hook here after 3 listens, but maybe the grating tones are just blocking me? I’m a metalhead so I love hard music, but this just sounds like a very overstuffed, blown out mainstream rock song. Maybe a 7 if I’m being generous.
I think I had a similar contrary reaction to Dead Man Walking…and to a lesser extend DANG DANG and UNDEAD…so maybe it’s just my taste!
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