In our recurring Track by Track series, artists guide readers through each song on their new release. Today, the unstoppable force of ATEEZ lands to talk about each song on their new mini-album.GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2.
2024 felt like a turning point for ATEEZ, the eight-member K-pop group from KQ Entertainment. For this cutting-edge act (Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho) a strong debut at Coachella was just the beginning. After releasing a bright, summery EP, GOLDEN HOUR: Part 1ATEEZ successfully completed one of the most fun tours of the year.
Now, the band has returned with a new mini-album to complete this chapter with GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2. Known for absurd levels of energy and confidence throughout their discography, this batch of music highlights that factor even more, harnessing each member's dancing, rapping, and vocal abilities for the catchy song “Ice on My Teeth.”
“When I first heard the song, the catchy melody immediately caught my attention,” Yeosang says of “Ice on My Teeth.” “The strong rhythm mixed with the violin made it sound fresh and exciting.”
The new album is rounded out by tracks like the R&B-inspired “DEEP DIVE,” the trap-adjacent interlude “Scene 1: Value,” and the lush synth-pop of “Selfish Waltz,” underscoring the fact that the group It is not content by gender.
Hear GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2 in its entirety below and read on for members' thoughts on each song.
“DEEP DIVE”:
Seonghwa: From the beginning, we knew that “DEEP DIVE” would set the mood for the entire album. It really captures that change from the bright lights of the city to total silence, reflecting the deep emotions and intensity that we immerse ourselves in. GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2.
“Scene 1: Courage”:
Wooyoung: “Scene 1: Courage” is like an introduction to “Ice on My Teeth,” establishing the main themes. “Great Minds Think Alike” shows how we are connected and share a vision, even on different paths. It's about staying true and trusting while accepting who we are and growing together.
“Ice on my teeth”:
yunho: “Ice on My Teeth” is really special to us because it's about knowing your worth and possessing that confidence. It's about valuing yourself no matter what and showing the world that you're not afraid to stand out.
Yeosang: When I heard the song for the first time, the catchy melody immediately caught my attention. The strong rhythm mixed with the violin made it sound fresh and exciting.
“Man on Fire”:
Mingi: “Man on Fire” has a similar vibe to “DJANGO” with its intense and raw energy. It's about how love can be so powerful that it makes you lose all sense of logic and can lead you into chaos. It shows how love can be surprising and dangerous at the same time.
“Selfish Waltz”:
Hongjoong: I actually wrote “Selfish Waltz” in 2021. It's about the complicated cycles that happen in relationships: how cracks start, tension builds, and then regret tries to fix things, only for the cycle to repeat itself. The waltz vibe of the song really captures that feeling, where no one is in sync, showing how messy and real relationships can get.
“Enough”:
saint: “Enough” conveys strong messages to “don't give up,” “you're doing great,” and “stay true to your beliefs.” We wanted this song to reach and connect with people everywhere, regardless of language.
jongho: Recording this song was really special for us. We put our heart into it to make sure it felt like a true encouragement and strength to anyone who heard it. We wanted it to encourage people and give them confidence to move forward.
thanks to our partners at consequence.net
