It has been about a year and a half since Cravity surprised listeners with their light and youthful single “Adrenaline” which was a complete 180 from their past title tracks. Since then, nearly every release from the group has been fun and refreshing. They seem to have put their dark “Vroom, vroom, vroom, skrrt” days behind them for a major transformation with lovely tunes and concepts.
“Adrenaline,” “Party Rock,” and “Groovy were all great, vibrant numbers. And the boys’ latest single “Ready or Not,” along with the other songs on Sun Seeker, continues their winning streak of delightful releases.
Thematically, Sun Seeker fleshes out the topic that was focused on in their previous album Master: Piece. There, the Cravity members showed their unique color as a team while essentially asking fans about the goals and dreams they long for. Now in Sun Seeker, the boys express their unique identities on an individual level and encourage listeners to follow their sun (dream) without fears or worries.
This theme, of course, is best demonstrated in title track “Ready or Not”:
It doesn’t mattеr whether you’re rеady or not
Burn the fire, fire, all in
Jump in whether you’re ready or not
In this excitement, it’s time to ready set go
Addictive guitar riffs and lively percussion establish a hard-hitting beat while the playful melody and members’ high tones create a bubbly ambience, resulting in a dynamic pop rock number that feels both intense and lighthearted.
Perhaps the song’s dullest moments are the bridge and brief rap portion in the second verse. The lower energy of these sections kill the excitement a bit abruptly, and an upbeat approach would have likely been more suitable.
Whatever dissatisfaction these sequences cause, though, quickly disappears once we reach the absolutely explosive chorus. The group’s enthusiastic performance is infectious, and the exuberant transition into the final chorus helps end the tune on a high note.
In contrast, the second title track (a first for a Cravity release) is probably the weakest on the album. “Cheese” is uplifting and enjoyable for sure, but its presence on Sun Seeker is like what “Boogie Woogie” was to New Wave. The casual and laid-back melodies feel like a missed opportunity and even more lacking when compared to the rest of the songs on the record.
On the bright side, this means that all the B-sides fare much better.
“Megaphone” is a strong follow-up to “Ready or Not” and carries on with the title track’s intensity. This tune as well as “Vibration” provide a different and cooler tone to the overall cheerful album.
The latter boasts a compelling blend of pop, funk, and rock with catchy bass riffs and a mischievous-sounding vocal arrangement. While the second verse rap section in “Ready or Not” felt like an obstacle, it’s very attention-grabbing in “Megaphone.” It’s brief, but Serim’s and Allen’s parts definitely stand out the most here.
In “Vibration,” we’re taken to a dreamy atmosphere as Woobin gets the opportunity to showcase his songwriting talents once again. The EDM number is slightly reminiscent of his first composed song “Colorful” but with a more sensual and mysterious aura. Just like its lyrics that convey varying emotions when moving toward someone, “Vibration” includes a variety of digital instruments that fits excellently with the topline, especially during the chorus. And for the cherry on top, the instrumental break in the bridge is fantastic and gives us a clearer listen of the diverse sounds in the backing track.
Woobin isn’t an established producer yet with this being only his third song, but his writing chops have been quite impressive so far and his eagerness to develop his skills further may bring about more captivating pieces for Cravity’s discography.
“9 o’clock” and “Love Fire,” the last two numbers on the record, features softer melodies that are more aligned with the group’s cuter concepts. The funky bass and synths in “9 o’clock” give the tune a poppy nu-disco mood, and the lyrics offer an endearing message of wanting to confess before the night ends. Additionally, the song title is a nice reference to the time when Cravity’s content is normally unveiled (9 PM), and lines like “Just a little bit, little bit, little bit nеrvous” and “There’s no time to think about it” voice the anticipation that fans and the members feel as they wait for that time.
“Love Fire” is just as cute, though, with a somewhat different vibe. The song isn’t necessarily awe-inspiring, but the members’ sweet voices singing the gentle melody on top of the retro beat forms a strangely wistful ambience that lingers even after the tune finishes. Its lyrics are also really pretty and describe a loveable moment with fire in hopes that such emotions won’t ever be doused:
I got a thing for you, this moment’s like a piece of painting
Nobody but you can cause this burst of emotion
You are my everlasting sunflower, sunflower
You are my undying love fire, love fire
We move like we’re burning even more, ooh, ooh
My midsummer night’s dream is you, ooh, ooh
The piece illustrates a dreamlike sunset setting and perfectly captures the end of summer.
On the whole, Cravity’s Sun Seeker shows their continuous efforts to set higher and higher standards for themselves. Despite the record not being the group’s most enthralling work, it is still a terrific album in its own right.
Cravity’s new era has produced some of the most outstanding songs in their entire discography. Seeing them go from dark, generic boy group fare to the gold mine they have now has truly been fascinating. This current musical direction fits the members like a glove, and it feels satisfying to see the group having now found their sound.
(YouTube. Lyrics via Genius [1][2][3]. Images via Starship Entertainment.)
