Having debuted in 2023 on
Zico
's
KOZ Entertainment
, South Korean newcomers
BoyNextDoor
complete their First Love trilogy -- started with 2023's
Who!
and
Why...
2024's
How?
delivers seven tracks that continue to develop their easygoing sound. Conceptually, the project falls into the chronology between the two prior volumes: while
captured the initial encounters of a budding love, and
captured the downcast consequences of heartbreak,
bridges the gap, exploring the key stages of a relationship and pulling together the moments prior to the couple's split. The resulting material often flits between confidence and confusion: frustrations and hesitations pierce the rollercoaster chorus of "Earth Wind & Fire," while "Amnesia" revolves around its conflicted narrator forgetting what made his relationship beautiful in the first place. Other tracks are more surefooted, like
Jaehyun
's pre-date nerves on "Our" or the tender nights of "So let's go see the stars"; the latter sounds like the closer to a perfect coming-of-age drama, scooping up the euphoria of nights spent stargazing with the person you care about most. Production work from
Poptime
(
Block B
,
IU
(G)I-DLE
) nails the group's earnest concept with smooth guitarwork and light drums, while songwriting from
Taesan
Woonhak
, and
ensures that their boyish charm shines through. It's always exciting to see a rookie group so directly involved with their songwriting and direction.
is not just a fitting conclusion for the First Love trilogy, but a strong reinforcement of the group's concept and a good omen for the future. ~ David Crone