Song Review: Taemin (SHINee) – Horizon

It goes without saying that I adore Taemin and his music, but my biggest frustration with his solo output is how often it tends to favor murky atmosphere and sluggish arrangements. He clearly enjoys this subdued tempo, and it allows for great spotlight on his choreography in a fluid, artistic way. But being a huge fan since his solo debut in 2014, I can’t help but long for the aggressive beats found on songs like Danger.

Because of this, I was happy when Taemin’s new album announced double title tracks. Sexy In The Air fits the more subdued, atmospheric brief and executes this wonderfully… at least across the first half of its running time. Meanwhile, the synthwave-charged Horizon lets us experience a more forceful performance style. Apart from a brief slowdown after the first chorus (why are up-tempo K-pop songs still doing this in 2024?), Horizon takes flight immediately and never lets up. It’s a coiled spring of a pop song, wrapping Taemin’s slippery vocals around a punchy electro instrumental. This contrast makes the track more than a generic genre exercise.

Where other artists might simply let their production do the heavy lifting, Taemin has the uncanny ability to imbue upbeat material with his own rhythm and cadence. His knack for performance elevates so much of Horizon, much as it did during 2020’s showstopping Criminal. I’m especially enamored with the second half of verse two, when the melody takes a more aggressive, insistent turn and Taemin’s vocals become sharp and vigorous. It’s the sound of an artist and song matching each other’s intensity and the result is so satisfying.

Grade: A-