DAY6 meander their way through “Hi Hello”, though their vocals salvage the release

When it comes to the style of music released, DAY6’s ‘Every DAY6‘ project has kind of subverted expectations. When I think of K-pop, it’s the summer months that hold the most uptempo, party-starting tracks. But DAY6’s more boisterous material was released towards the start of this year, with these last two months devoted to mid-tempo, lovelorn fare.

“Hi Hello” pulls down the bombast further than any of the band’s 2017 singles so far, painting a hazy, late summer afternoon vibe that utilizes the guys’ harmonic strength even if the song itself isn’t as immediately striking as some of their past work. “Hi Hello” meanders its way into focus, opening with a languid verse that makes no effort to rush in any one direction. It may not being the type of music that forces your attention, but its delicate nature feels inviting and encompassing.

The chorus is little more than a series of wispy harmonies, colliding to create a cascade of vocal-driven bliss. It’s an impossibly gorgeous musical moment, which pretty much sums up the song as a whole. Listeners looking for something with the pop/rock structure of a song like “I Wait“ or “How Can I Say“ may find themselves disappointed, but one of the cool things about releasing a single a month is that DAY6 really get a chance to display all the different colors within their music. “Hi Hello” has a relatively narrow sound when it comes to specific genre, but it delivers within these confines. Now if they’ll just give us an uptempo summer party anthem for their August release, I’ll be a happy camper.

——