VIXX does it again with “Fantasy”, which is an epic masterpiece

VIXX recently released “Fantasy” for our consumption, and it turns out what they actually did was bless us with a grand ol’ masterpiece.

The thing that stands out for me in “Fantasy” is the instrumental, which somehow makes combining trap elements (eh) and orchestral strings (YES) work. The instrumental helps the song build, from the piano intro to adding the drums in the verses to edging towards the outburst with the strings. Similarly, the track starts off with almost ballad-esque vocals, but gradually picks up the pace in the verses, and by the time the pre-chorus hits you truly feel a sense of scope and anticipation for what’s coming. And what comes is a grand chorus with a cinematic feel that has the vocals to match. It all works together to present an excellent end product that’s both memorable and leaves you wanting more with a well-conceived abrupt finish to all the madness.

Speaking of the vocals, they deserve credit for executing in that area, matching a difficult arrangement step-for-step and having the ability to pull off both the epic chorus and the softer moments with aplomb. Hell, even the rap goes along with the theme thanks to the elements already being there, and while I couldn’t have cared less if it wasn’t there, it was as inoffensive as possible and that’s generally ideal for K-pop tracks.

Some people aren’t fans of the musical/epic tracks in their K-pop, but personally I love hearing it (like with Junsu‘s releases), and “Fantasy” was no exception. Doubly so in this case because the arrangement and execution were so top notch, and it manages to be memorable and have a replayability factor that’s important for my long-term enjoyment of songs like these.

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VIXX have gone back to the darker and serious tones with the music video, and it does seem like no matter what they do conceptually, VIXX are the chameleons that make it work. To go from “Dynamite” to “Fantasy” back-to-back is a jarring switch, but the group managed to make both work, which I think speaks to their versatility and commitment.

The plot has apparently been explained already, and it’s not something I would’ve gotten or cared to have gotten.

https://twitter.com/DragonessNov/status/764826977849057281

But regardless, the visuals are on point throughout, with a nice variety of appropriate sets and techniques that match the overriding theme.

Almost as a bonus, the choreography looks athletic and involved. It shouldn’t surprise because these epic tracks are made for musical type of numbers, but it’s still nice to see such a complete overall effort.

So yeah, obviously I enjoyed VIXX’s “Fantasy” quite a bit. But not only is the song addicting, it’s surprisingly bereft of parts that I can find complaints about, and the same goes for the overall package as a concept as well. From the directing to the concept to the choreography, everything works in a concerted effort to enhance the song, and end result is one of the best K-pop releases in recent memory.

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‘Hades’