Song Review: &TEAM – Illumination

I find it strange to tie your album release to a seasonal single, but K-pop (and J-pop) do it quite often. If releasing an album in the month of December, you’re bound to get at least some holiday fare. We saw this from NCT Wish last month and now it’s &TEAM’s turn. Their album isn’t out until the 18th, but Illumination arrives a few days early.

&TEAM’s 2024 material has veered more sentimental than expected, including an excellent double shot of summer tracks. Illumination continues this trend, bringing us closer to balladry than ever before. But if you song must go slow for the holidays, this is my preferred way to do it. Illumination is driven by an insistent pop beat, urged along by twinkling synths and (of course) the occasional sleigh bell. It’s definitely a December track but feels broad enough to play year round.

More importantly, Illumination hinges on a series of beautiful melodies. Its chorus is warm and sweeping, opening the song’s scope just at the right time. I’ve been critical of &TEAM’s vocals in the past, but the performance here is downright gorgeous. The falsetto is strong but soft, perfectly complimenting the production. If anything, the track needs to expand further. It ends just as it should be delivering one more go-for-broke repetition of its chorus. Without this final exclamation point, Illumination dims just a bit.

Grade: B