Review: DreamNote - Ghost
Note: This review is an extended version of my writing for the Gayo Music Festival Nomination. You can read the original version here. The Winners are here.
DreamNote debuted back in November 2018 under iMe Korea, and never took off. Their songs were almost always brushed off, with hardly any praise given to their music. As several other K-Pop groups stuck in the long-time rookie zone, they bounced between concepts, from cute to retro, but never sticking. However, they gained some loyal fans in the process, with minor success garnered by Hakuna Matata prior to a forced hiatus due to the global pandemic. Finally returning with the single Ghost.
Over the last past few years, Dreamcatcher’s horror rock concept has gained them several fans and accolades. Thus, a stream of new girl groups such as Pink Fantasy and Rolling Quartz have opted to compete in this emerging market. With Ghost, DreamNote throw their hat in the ring.
With a clearly struggling budget, it is surprising that the agency was able to pull together such a strong track. Its stomping Halloween-seasoned beat is pretty much a blank slate for every single turn the song throws onto the listener. The flipping bass is a strong pair for a minimalist, but surprisingly powerful production. Floating synths and choirs show this track is all about the atmosphere.
Vocally, the members provide a stunning performance. The mixing is... mixed. The vocals sound on top of the music, creating a somewhat half-baked feel. This is a major downside, but the muted ad-libs throughout the song are fantastic.
The melody here is fantastic. The chorus is reminiscent of second-generation melodies, with a strong call-and-response between the voices and a creeping choir hook of ‘yeah’. The extended lines are fantastic, only improved the strong vocal performance. The whole segment is creepy yet classic, with a haunting yet hopeful vibe. This is capitalized by the post-chorus. Its stunning refrain, along with the bell-flourishes is perhaps the song's peak, pulling together for one stunning moment after another.
This is not to say the verses are bad in any way. The second verse's opening is stunning, with eery chants and a speedy rap. The melody here is equally stunning, leading to highlight after highlight. Perhaps more variation with the drums for transitions would send this song to the stratosphere, but the song is solid already. In fact, this probably counts as one of the year's best surprises.
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