On Feb. 3, 2020, the second most successful rookie girl group of 2019 finally released their first full album “Reminiscence” and I was stunned. After their debut and first comeback, I never thought Yue Hua Entertainment would get their act together and actually release even a mini album for Everglow, their six-piece girl group.

Everglow consists of six girls: leader E:U, main dancer Mia, visual Sihyeon, lead vocalist Onda, lead rapper Aisha and maknae Yiren. Before debut, Sihyeon and Yiren had gained popularity as being participants of the survival show “Produce 48,” with their fellow Yue Hua trainee and member of the resulting group IZ*ONE, Yena. High hopes were already set from their performances for the Korean TV audience.

“Bon Bon Chocolat,” the debut single from their first single package “Arrival of Everglow,” did amazing, peaking at number five on the U.S. world charts and ushering in possible competition to JYP girl group ITZY. Then only a few months later, the group came back with the unbelievable, powerful “Adios” and their second single package “Hush.” Now, we end up here at “Reminiscence” and I was expecting it to be good.

What makes the fourth generation of K-Pop different from the rest is their focus on confidence and taking control of their own lives. Everglow has its own version that truly runs through the core of this album, underneath every single beat and lurking in every line.

The comeback track “Dun Dun” comes off in classic girl crush, Everglow style with a hard bass sound following the signature “Everglow” that begins their singles, surrounded by electronics truly going “Dun, Dun.” With the emphasis on vocals from the get-go, I knew that this was a much more mature and different release from the likes of “Bon Bon Chocolat” and “Adios.” It’s more of a slight build-up until the music drops and Yiren sings “You’re so done” in acapella silence.

This song did separate itself really well from any other Everglow track by actually using their rappers to create a more intense, heavier sound. From the second verse where E:U and Aisha trade lines, they’re straight on beat rapping styles pack a more powerful punch. In reality, the lyrics for this song give off the strongest confidence since CLC and ITZY.

“Don’t let your guard down or I’ll flip the tables/ Bomb the bomb/ I’ll dominate in a flash/ And leave you breathless.”

Continuing with that theme, we get “Player,” replacing “You Don’t Know Me” as my favorite Everglow track. If you ever thought love songs cannot be terrifying, you’ve never heard the main vocalist Mia belt while the vocal lines of Onda and Yiren echo alongside her.

The backing instrumental is Tokyo Drift, with it’s fast electronic beats smoothing into a softer pre-chorus. However, everything reverts back to a haunting backing track of minor notes accompanied by a shaking bass section. With Aisha’s beat manipulating rap parts to another showing of Mia’s powerful vocals, the music is horror inducing.

To top it off, one of these lyrics about not being played and scaring those who will is a small brush with fear. “Look at the look on your face/ Come on, look straight at me/ With a thrill of horror around me/ Yeah, don’t think about anything else/ No more illusions.”

But even powerful people have their sensitive side and the ladies express this through “No Lie,” a track similar in the intensity to b-sides “Moon” and “You Don’t Know Me” with a complex backing overlaying more simple vocal lines. Instead of allowing the backing track to come out easily, Everglow’s vocals actually stand out here more than ever, no pun intended.

Through some harmony added within the chorus, Forevers actually finally see the full vocal ability of a group that sometimes relaxes a bit in that department. The respect I had for their vocalists grew with each verse and chorus as the drums and snapping kept me nodding my head the entire time. Overall, the track is relaxed in feeling but full of urgency and remembrance in its lyricism.

“That world which was dark/ I miss everything/ Everybody want what they want.”

In their first mini-album, Everglow was able to take in everything I loved about their original debut sound and add a sense of maturity that made me want to listen more. With this release, the group will embark on their first U.S. tour, stopping in Chicago on March 11 at the Vic Theatre. Hopefully, I’ll be there to dance along to every track, “baby no lie.”