Killer tracks

Knock Knock

The song starts out with hauntingly beautiful vocals along with a somewhat Christmas-themed melody. This song feels a bit creepy; it's perfect for this album in particular as the girls have slipped back into their velvet side this go-round. The tone and flow of this song will make you look over your shoulder, making you think that someone is watching you. The lyrics back this up as well: “The sound of the wind, a closed door. Your gaze is drawn behind the slightly opened curtain”  but they quickly come back to a romance theme which we frequently see from Red Velvet. In short words, this song will make you think you’re falling in love with a ghost.

Underwater

There is so much to be said about this song, but I will try to keep it short as there are 8 other songs to summarize. “Underwater” is a 3 minute and 25 second r&b song consisting of pure perfection. Starting off, it starts with a soft tune fading in and out while Seulgi, main dancer and lead vocalist, sings, “All I need is for you to stay, and forever you will sway.”. Shortly after that, the beat drops in and Yeri starts the first verse. The slow deep synth pads and short claps give an 80’s vibe but along with the vocals, it still sounds very modern. The way the girls present their vocals in a desperate tonality which really brings it all together. If you’re looking for a baby-making song, it's “Underwater”. 

“Who can love you like I love you? This warm and yet distant sweet dream. Come here, babe. Because it never dries”

Will I Ever See You Again?

“Will I Ever See You Again” will make you believe you’re in a fuzzy beautiful summer dream. Entering in, there are soft snaps that come to the surface once the girls start singing. Instrumentally, this is a very interesting song. It simply can’t be described, but many little things pull it all together.  There’s a strong urge to bop your head while listening to this, I’d recommend this to someone who might be missing a certain friend or ex. You could easily look back on all of the good memories with them while this song blasts through your speakers. “A small voice lingering around me. An endless melody. Call us back.”

Nightmare

Just like that, Red Velvet wanted to pull us right back into the “creepy aura” that they do SO well. The track starts with that iconic circus jingle that we’re all familiar with just before the beat comes in. If I was completely blind reacting to this, I would think this song is the title track. There’s a strong sense of music show promotion coming from the sequence. “Nightmare” is for my comfortably, horror camp aesthetic people out there. Getting hit with lyrics “Even if I call you. No answer. My anxiety keeps growing. My steps slow down little by little (Hush). My whole body (Sleep). It’s heavy (Go to sleep)” is very on brand for the title. This is an amazingly crafted song that could easily be interchanged with the title which automatically gives it a powerful resonance. 

Iced Coffee

Iced Coffee feels like a song you would sing to a baby to put them to sleep. Before you take out your phone and take this to Twitter and rip me a new one, let me finish. This song is so beautiful and is very similar to a lullaby. Feeling at peace would be an understatement with this track. Very soft vocals with a soft and almost “powdery” type of instrumental will leave you wanting more. The way the girls describe love here will make you want to experience it regardless if there is a heartbreaking outcome. This is perfect for anyone who is on the fence about falling in love and needs that little push to “just live in the moment”. “The more I drink you in all my nights are getting longer. From head to toe, I’m dizzyingly paralyzed, inside me, all my senses”

One Kiss

Many have come close to the color that One Kiss portrays, but not many could come close. This song is for the ones who love to be chased rather than play a silly game of cat and mouse. My dearest, puppeteers, One Kiss is not talking for you, it is screaming for you. The build-up in the pre-chorus alone is simply *chef’s kiss*. At exactly 0:33, all background instruments besides clapping are removed to highlight the singer’s vocals and once a line is finished, the piano comes in for a quick second along with the other girls chiming in. This is a very simple yet chilling tune. 

“I'll tell you what I like. What I want, what I don’t, what you got. What are you waiting for?”

Bulldozer

Right off the bat, Bulldozer is a distinct track from the album. It’s almost as if Red Velvet carried the same concept from the previous track and amplified it. The lyrics follow: “I'm a bulldozer. Hurry up when I give you a chance. I run away from what I see. I'm impatient, I'm your poet, I'm your pain.” This song contains a “wiry” sound that's a certified earworm. This is an easy listen for anyone who considers themself a baddie or would like to be a baddie. Bulldozer is your mental fuel for the morning when you need to get things done and need a pick me up besides a cup of coffee. 

Wings

I would be lying if I said I didn’t receive that similar Christmas feel from this song at the start. The same ambiance was needed for this song as the holidays come around, we all become a little more tender toward one another. Wings is an inspirational one and the lyrics are absolutely graceful. This is an easy song to listen to as well all while still keeping you at the verge of tears. This, of course, would go to anyone struggling at the moment.​​ There are a lot of things going on in the world and Red Velvet wants to remind us all to: “Spread your wings, butterfly. The quiet season becomes turbulent. That sparkling sky (You and me). Flying high, dazzlingly. Heaven opens towards you.” 

Scenery

If you got through Wings without shedding a tear, this might break you. If there’s one thing, the cake girls will always grace us with an amazing ballad. Scenery is another song to reminisce good times with someone you care for. If “Will I Ever See You Again?” was about remembering the person, Scenery is about taking in the environment around you while you’re with that special person. I can see my artsy individuals enjoying this song as we typically take in what's around us when we’re with a person. Inspiration could stem from lines such as: “On a pure white paper, draw a wish. Clouds hugging each other. Trees that lend their shoulders. A landscape that resembles us”

Chill Kill

Let’s get into the star of the show, the title track, Chill Kill. The trap beats in this song may make you unknowingly bop your head. This is a song that will creep on you, literally. This is a perfect inbetween of their concept of red and velvet. The instrumentals and vocals shine red, while the lyrics and music video push a velvet agenda. The music video starts very dark while the girls are moving items out of the way to sit in the middle of the room. A very subtle feature here that they’ve included is a high frequency in the background to really add to that unsettling vibe. This music video is really for the books. As the viewer, you’re pushed into the perception that the girls have been captured and are simply just trying to escape then you realize that they’ve simply executed someone. I would highly recommend taking a look at this music video. A bright sounding song with chilling lyrics is surely on brand for SM and Red Velvet and I could confidently place this as one of their best title tracks.