Kang Daniel is back.
It’s been about 7 months since the mini-album ‘ACT’ in September last year.The title of this single is “Mess”.

The title itself is ominous.Translated, it means ‘confusion’, ‘mess’, ‘messy’.
The fact that Kang Daniel used this word as the title of the song means that he has no intention of hiding his true feelings.In fact, this song is closer to being raw than any other song he has released so far.

Don’t package or soften your emotions.Say that your feelings hurt and show your broken state as it is.
A heart addicted to love, the pain of wanting to escape but not being able to, and the self falling apart inside.All of this is expressed in English lyrics, but the sentiment perfectly touches the Korean emotional line.

The lyrics are a bit direct.
“You keep breaking me down and then lift me up / You re so toxic but I m still holding”
The essence of the relationship is already revealed in this sentence.
The opponent is poisonous, but I can’t let go.I keep getting dragged along even though I know it hurts.
Repeated addiction, yet unable to let go of self-reproach.
And finally, he asks this:
“If I write it, does it matter ?”

The song itself is a huge question that is entangled in a coil.Kang Daniel poses that question to his fans, or to himself.
Musically, the changes are also evident.
They moved away from their traditional soft and emotional R & B -centric sound and towards a rougher and sharper rock sound.Heavy bass, driving guitar riffs, and thumping rhythms.
All of these elements make the message of ‘confusion’ more three-dimensional.

The vocals have definitely changed as well.
In this song, Kang Daniel intentionally pushes his emotions forward rather than delicately controlling them.
A tone that seems to break, a low note that is thrown with a huff, a high note that seems to burst out.
It’s just unorganized emotions and an unorganized mind.
That’s the charm of this song, and it’s where ‘Mess’ becomes ‘cool’.

The music video is also impressive.
A space like an old jazz club, with red curtains and analog lighting.Standing on stage, he is as quiet as a scene from an old movie.
There is no fancy dance or complicated set.There is only a camera facing the emotions.The lump of emotions that Kang Daniel breathes out quietly but firmly seeps into us beyond the screen.

Kang Daniel said of this song, “It’s a message I wanted to convey to my fans during the tour.”
After listening to the whole song, I think I can understand a little bit what that meant.
To speak to someone with your heart even in the midst of chaos.That is the simplest and most powerful way music can do it.
Even if you add emotion to the wound,
If that was your true heart
That’s enough already.


Reporter Yang com -mo hmyang0307@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.