Release Date: January 11, 2024
Track Listing
- Baby, Maybe Crazy
- TA-DA!
- IF U KNOW U KNOW (SUHYE Solo)
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Korean Version]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Japanese Version]
- IF U KNOW U KNOW (SUHYE Solo) [Guitar]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Korean Version] [E. PIANO]
- Baby, Maybe Crazy (Acapella)
- TA-DA! (Acapella)
- IF U KNOW U KNOW (SUHYE Solo) [Acapella]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Korean Version] [Acapella]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Japanese Version] [Acapella]
- Baby, Maybe Crazy (Instrumental)
- TA-DA! (Instrumental)
- IF U KNOW U KNOW (SUHYE Solo) [Instrumental]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [Instrumental]
- IF U KNOW U KNOW (SUHYE Solo) [GUITAR Instrumental]
- TWENTY TWENTY (MiU Solo) [E. PIANO Instrumental]
Review
143 Entertainment’s LIMELIGHT returns with their third EP called Last Dance. It is a fitting title since it is the last album for the group as a trio. There are plans to add an unspecified number of members for the next version of the group. And if rumours and innuendo show any truth, two members of Kep1er may be joining the LIMELIGHT ranks soon once that group goes to idol heaven.
But that is speculation on the future; let us focus on the present. Last Dance features TA-DA! as its title track. This mid-tempo pop song is carefree, making it an easy listening experience. It’s nice that the original trio finishes with something simple rather than a bombastic, slightly overproduced dance track or taking another dip into the well of EDM teen pop.
Looking at the remaining track list, it appears there are many more songs than on the typical LIMELIGHT album. Upon further inspection, you get another new group track and two member solo songs. Why not three solos? Who knows? All that is known is that Gaeun decided not to release her solo. What is important is that you know you only get four new songs on this EP, not 18. The rest of this album is padded with alternate versions of the solo songs and the acapella and instrumentals for each track.
You can’t fault 143 Entertainment for not trying to give fans some value for the trio’s final release. I’m sure some people believe the vocal tracks and instrumentals have no place on an EP, and stretching to full album running time by adding extra padding is a bit much.
As I have mentioned in past LIMELIGHT reviews, I am probably one of the few who appreciates the inclusion of these on their albums. But I am also a rare person with practical uses for instrumentals, and especially the acapella tracks. So, I don’t mind them being included and hope the trend continues for future releases.
Now that we know how many new songs there are to listen to, are the others worth investing your time in?
The opening track, Baby, Maybe Crazy, is a funky and catchy up-tempo pop song. It has a more immediate infectious quality than TA-DA! and only gets better as you get deeper into the song. After many repeated listens, I think this should have been the title track.
When it comes to the solo songs, both are pretty good. SUHYE’s track, IF U KNOW U KNOW, is an airy synth-pop kind of track with some modern EDM influences. MiU’s solo TWENTY TWENTY is straightforward dance-pop. Only one of these songs got a music video, so we can guess which solo received a more significant push. Both are equally listenable and what captures your attention depends on your tastes.
I prefer the stripped-down versions of the solos myself. So, if you’re looking to listen to these songs without all the bells and whistles, these would be the tracks to add to your playlist.
Overall, Last Dance is an excellent finale for the trio version of LIMELIGHT. Yes, it lacks some of the spark and excitement of their previous releases, but that’s okay. Last Dance has a cohesive chill vibe permeating throughout, which I believe isn’t a bad thing to close this chapter of the group.
