Before Who Am I, Craxy had yet to show the listeners what they are really about. After debuting at the beginning of March 2020, their career was put on hold before it properly started. Who Am I was therefore a bit of a mystery, the title reflecting how little is known about the five-member band. This EP is a perfect reintroduction of the group and a reward for the patient fans.
Craxy decided to showcase the irresistible, seductive depth with confidence that is far from forged. Who Am I will leave the listeners energised and with sky-rocketing confidence. The six songs cut right to the chase, each of them making a statement about power that comes through knowing yourself and accepting even the darkest parts of one’s soul. Who Am I is not just a little flirtation with the darkness, but a full, committed relationship.
“Interlude: Who Am I” works perfectly as the introduction to the whole album, as it sounds like Craxy are awakening from a long hibernation. The new, more mature version is here, but they are asking “who am I”? The rest of the album centres around the group attempting to answer this question, while simultaneously getting to know and embracing the darker parts of their personalities. The entire quest pictured in the EP is not just edgy, there is a sense of maturity to their exploration. It is far from idle, Hamlet-like edginess with no action. They dive deep into the darkness on purpose, to truly find out who they are. Craxy realise that only way out is through, they need to find out who they are. Only adding to the journey through the world of monsters are their impeccable style and killer looks.
Craxy’s journey through the dark revolves mostly around their self-perception. The MV for “Undercover” shows each of the members look at her reflection in a broken mirror, trying to piece together their identity. Looking at the warped image, they decide to accept it instead of trying to fix the broken pieces. As a result, Craxy are not afraid to call themselves monsters or lions when embracing their vicious side. This theme and its execution feels fresh and mature, showing the bands potential for diving into deeper issues while simultaneously providing the listeners with solid dance tracks. While the songs like “Undercover” or “LION” talk about the dark side of love and life, Craxy still deliver songs with a lighter pop theme, like “Real” and “Butterfly”. In the latter, the girls seem ready to leave the darkness behind and step into the world of real, happy love.
Even with all that edginess, the six tracks do not lose their pop quality. All the songs are solid dance tracks, with infectious hooks and rewarding beat drops. The production of the album is solid but unsurprising. It can best be described as accurate and correct, without any standout features. The beats will make you want to dance but are not overwhelming. Outside of the classic strong beats, the songs do not feature many additional ornaments and the range of instrumentals used throughout the album is quite narrow. It doesn’t make the songs feel too underproduced though, as the featured instruments are impeccable. Some variety and complexity would make the songs even stronger.
The advantage of the simple arrangements is that they do a great job in supporting the vocals. The, at times inconspicuous, production allows for the artists’ impressive and unusual vocals to take the stage. Each of the members has a unique singing voice. Karin‘s is distinctly deep, exquisitely expressing the dark edginess of the lyrics. Swan‘s singing is smoky and alluring, complemented by the other members’ higher and more melodic voices. Hyejin‘s untameable energy makes the songs sound even more powerful. The harmony of their voices is best showcased in “Undercover” where the humming featured in the hook is absolutely hypnotising. The vocals are definitely Craxy’s strong suit, making even repetitive chants sound interesting and pleasant to listen to. The singers’ presence is strong in every song, as they put their hearts into every word they sing
The only exception from this otherwise solid production is the last song of the EP, “Butterfly”. It sticks out from the rest with its imbalanced production, where the vocals get lost in invasive electronics, merging into a noisy mess.
Craxy offer contagious confidence and energy, giving the listeners fuel to fight through any obstacles. The songs are undeniably catchy, filled with satisfying beat drops and hypnotising hooks. Who Am I is not just edgy but also tangled and intricate. Some might find the unsurprising production disappointing, however it is does not prevent the EP from showcasing Craxy’s talent. The members don’t need complex production, as the fiery heart of the band shines through their vocals.
Sources: Youtube [1] Images via SAI Entertainment
