Tohoshinki/DBSK - Rising Sun

Dong Bang Shin Ki/Tohoshinki's second album, Rising Sun, enjoyed great success in Asia. In April, 2009, the main track, Rising Sun, was even selected to be in the famous movie Fast &Furious, in Paul Walker's first scene. In Japan, their career exploded, especially with their last album The Secret Code.

The first track, entitled Tonight, is a live version. The major part in a capella and the charming melody result in a very pleasant song. All the members are able to show their vocal capacities and we can feel the potential of the group. This track offers a vocal demonstration mixed with different musicals styles and emotions and gives us a feel for the rest of the album.

After this fragment of concert, the atmosphere changes for the next song, Beautiful. With a good rhythm and a little bit of R'n'B, it has the makings for a great ballad. At this moment, it seems the sweet and honey universe will continue, but in fact, next up is Rising Sun, the principal song of this album. It's difficult to refrain from dancing along to the dazzling rhythm, and we are able to enjoy Max Changmin's "scream" and U-Know Yunho and Micky Yoochun's rapping. Hero Jaejoong and Xiah Junsu's voices also give a different personality to the song.

Unforgettable follows and the mood changes, becoming more calm and smooth. Hero Jaejoong begins, quickly followed by Max Changmin. Here every member has his little moment of glory as they all show off their voices regularly. In this song, Micky Yoochun holds a high note for a while, demonstrating his vocal talent.

We stay in the same atmosphere with the next song, Love is never gone, a ballad with an R'n'B style. The catchy rhythm in the introduction and the slight touch of R'n'B is intriguing. This song is also a pop song and the atmosphere is different; we are totally absorbed in the melody. U-Know Yunho and Micky Yoochun's rap parts are really welcomed and give originality. In contrast, the next song, Dangerous Mind, begins with an electronic voice similar to a robot, before the real tempo sets in. With a slight touch of oriental style and a lot of rock influence, it's Max Changmin's turn to start the song. Dangerous Mind should be perfect at a live performance where people will be able to dance and feel the rhythm.

A beautiful and melancholic ballad follows. The chorus of One, "Someday I'll lay my love on you...," is easy to remember and this track will be perfect for an OST. It ends slowly before the next track Love is... starts. With more of a pop sound, like Your love is all I need, it also has a slight "American soul" style added to it.

The last two songs have a very different tempo. First is Free You Mind (feat. The Trax). With its perfect mix of classical music (in the introduction) and rock, we're reminded of Dong Bang Shin Ki's famous song Tri-Angle. A bit more calm though, Free Your Mind has a different atmosphere and the diversity of styles helps. Featuring pop-rock, rap and sometimes electronics effects, it works perfectly.

Second, and finally, Always There... comes and the mood changes totally. It's an a capella version, and so the album finishes just with Dong Bang Shin Ki's voices. The harmony is perfect because every voice has its own particular sound, and the combination ultimately shows the power of the band.

In conclusion, Rising Sun's well-deserved total success demonstrated Dong Bang Shin Ki's potential. After this release, their career in Korea, China and Japan exploded. Now they are one of the most famous boysbands in Asia.