TOMORROW X TOGETHER's 'The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY': Every Song Ranked

The album opens with this quirky, disco-pop track that sets a playful tone. Mixing the soft pop beat with a cascade of harmonic vocal layers in the pre-chorus, followed by the group's flawless falsettos in the chorus, it's a light intro that hints at the emotional journey to come. Written by members Soobin, Yeonjun, and Taehyun, the track reflects the euphoria of reuniting with someone special, yet hints at the album's primary journey of exploring the complexities of love.

While an enjoyable listen, “Heaven” doesn't have the same personality we know from other TXT songs and, at first, we feel like it could easily fit on another K-pop group's album sonically. However, the location of the track is more than earned as a starting point The Star Chapter: HOLY we're just taking the full journey to the final track of the album.

The album ends on a high note with 'Higher Than Heaven', a rock anthem that exudes a sense of hope. The track, a combination of uplifting guitar riffs and a resilient spirit, showcases the group's ability to inspire. Co-written by rock music lover TXT and Taehyun, this track is a fitting conclusion to the journey that began with the opening track 'Heaven'.

While this mini-album opened with the guys realizing that this love is worth looking for a place for the listener to find a refuge together (“You make it feel like /Heaven /From one to ten, you're like an eleven”) from “Higher Than Heaven,” TXT has taken control of the narrative, the realization of love empowering them to go beyond the heavens. Without a doubt, this will be a happy, rocking time for the group and MOA if added to the tour list.

This hybrid of electro-pop and R&B leans heavily on TOMORROW X TOGETHER's falsetto vocals, layered over bass-driven beats. Production continues “Risk” reminiscent of the sound created by superstars like the Neptunes and Timbaland for Justin Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified. At the same time, the lyrics written by Yeonjun, Taehyun and Beomgyu bring a cutting-edge feel to romance, exploring love as exciting and dangerous.

Its lead single The Star Chapter: HOLY“Over the Moon”, is a lyrical and sonic centerpiece for the album, combining TXT's signature visceral lyrics with a dynamic mix of rich, romantic R&B and cutting edge rock.

The single balances nostalgic and modern influences, with layered harmonies that better capture the growth of TXT's vocal maturity on the EP. The accompanying music video adds an extra layer of magic, showing the members caught in heavily symbolic, tender and dramatic scenes to represent the vulnerability of falling in love. Fans and newcomers alike can relate to the catchy “for you” hook that repeats throughout the chorus, and the track's story of longing and excitement about the feeling of being with someone you love takes you ” Over the moon/Over the stars'.

A lush mid-tempo R&B track, “Forty One Winks” is drenched in an undeniable groove reminiscent of R&B fan favorites like the 2019 album cut “20cm,” a song the group has only performed a handful of times live. . A play off of the phrase 'forty winks', meaning a nap, 'Forty One Winks' draws inspiration from the album's title with 'The language of the stars' representing the 41 winks.

With a soulful instrumental and layered lullaby-like vocals, the song explores the theme of longing and the restless nature that love can cause. The slower tempo and texture of the sound invite listeners into a more intimate moment of reflection, highlighting TXT's vocal range and emotional abilities, especially as they walk the fine line between comfort and desire. But just as TOMORROW X TOGETHER hit their fifth anniversary, “Forty One Winks” will stand as one of the group's best vocal performances to date, showing that they have a lot more to show as they move into the next five years.

Fun fact: R&B pop star Jordin Sparks and ex American Idol Contestant Jordin Sparks is credited as co-writer on the track.

Undoubtedly the most distinctive track on the album, “Resist (I'm Not Gonna Go Away)” once again taps into the nostalgic, yet still fresh Timbaland and Justin Timberlake sound of the latter's previous albums, with acoustic guitar elements, bongo percussion and clear inspiration from reggaeton and dancehall riddims. With influences from 2000s pop, Latin music and dancehall as a backdrop, the song is a tribute to resilience and belief in love. It channels a mix of hope and defiance, with the members' falsettos layered over a groove-heavy beat that's both danceable yet still introspective in a way that few songs can be. The song's composition, coupled with the heartfelt lyrics, somewhat reminds Jimin of BTS's 2024 single “Who,” which has yet to break out of the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart after more than three months on the chart.

But more importantly, “Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)” further elevates TXT's sound in a way that's difficult for a group that's been so open to experimenting and mashing genres throughout their career to continue to deliver surprises and unexpected delights to listeners one last time. five years. With almost every member contributing to the lyrics (Beomgyu, Soobin, Taehyun and Hueningkai), the song also feels like one of the most important representations of how TOMORROW X TOGETHER is also pushing themselves to offer something unique to the K-pop scene that still fits their overall worldview.