EPEX releases first full album following single success
The boy group’s new album Youth Chapter 1: YOUTH DAY intends to mark their arrival into adulthood after debuting as teenagers.
Image: C9 Entertainment.
Youth Chapter 1: YOUTH DAY is understood to be the first in what will be a trilogy of full albums exploring themes which hope to ‘tell new stories’.
The album is intended to be a demarcation between EPEX’s previous body of work, which was produced when the majority of members were in their teen years.
“It’s the first comeback for all members as adults, and the first full album since our debut,” confirmed Wish, one of the eight members of EPEX.
The new music is intended to reflect the member’s move into young adulthood, however, the group’s younger years remain acknowledged.
“This album contains the keyword “youth”, so it’s filled with affection and sincerity,” says Wish, who believes this could be a significant moment for the group’s success.
Image: C9 Entertainment.
“The title song “Youth2Youth” (청춘에게) is a song with a perfect storyline, and I believe nothing is lacking in this track’s choreography, lyrics, or any other aspect.
“We prepared it with the eagerness to share it with our fans as soon as possible. We’ll do our best to convey this overwhelming and exciting sentiment on stage. I believe this album will be a turning point for EPEX.”
There are seven new songs alongside the album’s title track: ‘청춘에게 (Youth2Youth)’.
This includes ‘KILLSHOT’ which speaks out about eliminating oppression and what prevents people from being themselves; ‘Breathe in Love’ which describes uncontrollable feelings of pure love; ‘Painkiller’ which hones in on the idea of being a light that can dull the pain of youth; as well as “Lay Up which discusses the responsibility that comes with having power and energy during your younger years.
There are also two unit songs on the album. EPEX’s rap unit, which consists of Keum, Baekseng, Ayden, and Jeff, have released ‘Dominate’, exploring feelings of helplessness and despair.
Meanwhile, Wish, MU, A-Min, and Yewang, otherwise known as the group’s vocal unit, have teamed up to create “말할 수 있는 비밀 (My Secret)”, singing about the intimacy of sharing secrets with someone.
ZENITH (EPEX’s fan group) will have already heard “졸업식 (Graduation Day)” which is also on the album, as this was pre-released as a single in February.
Image: C9 Entertainment.
“As all of our members have become adults this year, we’ve filled this album with the essence of youth that best represents us now,” explained MU, fellow EPEX member.
The group originally debuted back in 2021, releasing EPEX’s first EP: BIPOLAR Pt 1: Prelude of Anxiety, which quickly found success with title track ‘LockDown’
EPEX has since released a further five EPs including the ‘Prelude of Anxiety’ EP series and the ‘Prelude of Love’ series.
The group have also been recognised at several award shows including the High1 Seoul Music Awards, The Hanteo Music Awards, and the Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards.
Reflecting on this success ahead of the album’s launch, MU said: “From our teenage years, which marked the beginning of EPEX, to our youth, we can convey our stories well.
“We would appreciate it if you could join us and listen to our youth together. Since it’s a really good album, we hope for a lot of interest and anticipation.”
Youth Chapter 1: YOUTH DAY is now available to listen to on all streaming services.
Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.
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