[Review] Dreamcatcher’s Siyeon definitely provides fans with a “Paradise”

While the promotion of the solo for Dreamcatcher’s Siyeon was much closer to just being a special clip than an actual single, at least it was delievered and she got to participate in composing and writing for “Paradise”.

While there were understandable concerns that it would be a standard ballad, with LEEZ and Ollounder helming the production, I had a feeling that they would do something different since they’ve always managed to add their unique touch to things. On “Paradise” they (and Siyeon) delivered the kind of vocal-centric song that still carries appeal to me thanks to its electro-pop underpinnings, which seems like a sound they are proficient in based on the work they’ve done to Dreamcatcher b-sides. Of particular appeal were the electronic tappings that initially kick in around 45 seconds in, as they help the sense of building yet don’t overpower her vocals. They also toe the line well with a booming base that doesn’t overpower her voice.

The melody built around the “run away” repetition to start was alluring, and the soaring feeling it provided felt appropriate with her uplifting vocals. The closing electronic squiggles are the only questionable decision for me, though the shift down for the bridge and concluding it with an a capella “you’re always in my heart” was an inspired choice. So I suppose you take the good with the bad if you want to step outside the box a bit.

While most of the attention on these types of songs are focused on range and volume, the most impressive part of the performance here was during the softer moments in the verses, where she effectively showcased stability and injected an emotional life into it.

Admittedly it’s a bit hard to step back a bit and try to evaluate this objectively, but I’ll try anyway. At the moment I believe “Paradise” stands apart from the run-of-the-mill ballad due to the electronic elements in the production, as well as being rather uplifting as opposed to dour. However, I wonder if the chorus has enough knockout appeal to spread through a wider range of listeners, even though fans will understandably be pleased with the result and an enjoyably listenable song at the bare minimum.

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TheBiasList has it as a solid b-side, which it effectively is.