In their short time as a group so far, Tempest, as mentioned in previous reviews, have managed to stand out in the sea of new groups emerging in this 4th K-pop generation. With their infectious energy and upbeat pop tracks, the group has set themselves apart from the expected route of harder-hitting and edgier songs. They did more recently dip into that route with the single “Dragon,” which, while a fine listen, didn’t serve the group in carving their own path. After that release, a part of me was worried that they would end up falling into a trap of following what other groups were doing. Luckily, with the group’s newest release, “Dangerous,” they are refining their craft and further developing their own unique sound.
“Dangerous,” the lead single from their newest mini album THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM is a satisfying pop track with heavy funk elements placed throughout. The track is incredibly solid, with great layering of synths, bass, and drum machines. My favorite part of the production has to be the ticking, domino-effect synths that play throughout; it’s a small touch that really adds a lot of depth to the track.
I’ve made this comment before about the members, but the boys in Tempest carry such confidence in every release, that it’s always surprising to remember that they only debuted in March 2022. They deliver each of their lines with swagger and style, getting me to sing along to every line. A fun part of the vocals comes from singer Taerae, who gets the chance to show off his solid rapping skills in his own verse. The lyrics are perfectly suited for a self-hype anthem. “Enemies keep telling me / What to do / Run away go away / The rules of the game have changed,” member Lew confidently declares in his verse. The lyrics are a simple and effective confidence booster perfect for hyping yourself up.
With “Dangerous,” Tempest is continuing to carve out their own niche in the industry and is actively working on improving with each release. This release takes me back to their debut single “Bad News,” taking that infectious energy and dabbling with some of that bad boy energy from “Dragon,” and mixing the two together into something that is uniquely theirs. Tempest has proven itself to be a group that is really dedicated to making itself stand out and is ready to, as they put it, “devour the stage like a villain.”
