Release Date: September 3, 2024
Track Listing
- UNO
- DADARID
- DOPAMINE
- TIMELINE
Review
In February 2023, 143 Entertainment debuted a three-member girl group called LIMELIGHT. The trio released one self-titled pre-debut EP and two post debut EP’s Love & Happiness and Last Dance and one single Madeleine. Last Dance ended up being the trio’s last release under the LIMELIGHT name, as 143 Entertainment initiated a plan to reorganize the group and add an unspecified number of members.
On July 15, 2024, LIMELIGHT was rebranded to MADEIN, which stands for “WE MADEIN U,” referring to the group’s members’ survival show past.
With this rebranding, the new members joining the original trio of Gaeun, MiU, and Suhye were revealed. First are two more Japanese members, Serina and Nagomi. Both were contestants on the Produce 101 Japan The Girls idol survival show. Secondly, were the members K-Pop fans expected to join the group with the assumed disbanding of Kep1er. However, their situation was somewhat in the air with a push to get all nine members’ contracts extended.
In the end an agreement could only be reached with seven of the nine members of Kep1er. So Mashiro and Yeseo left to complete the roster of MADEIN once the initial nine-member version of Kep1er had run its course.
Now that we have the re-formation of MADEIN covered, let’s get to their debut EP, RISE.
LIMELIGHT didn’t necessarily have a set type of sound in their short discography. They tended to switch genres, but everything they put out had some pure pop twist.
MADEIN, conversely, has a more experimental dance music type of sound if you go by what the title track UNO is presenting. This type of song is a real attention grabber simply because it’s unlike anything the previous version of the group has released.
This sonic shift may not sit well with those accustomed to the lighter pop fare that LIMELIGHT provided before their re-org. But if you give it a chance, you’ll discover UNO is an engaging track that helps define what kinds of songs one should expect from MADEIN.
The other up-tempo album cuts tend to follow a similar musical direction as UNO but are not as jarring. DADARIDA is the one I kept going back to replay. It blends dance music with Afro-Beat. The bridge deviates from the formula, going for a Housier feel before returning to the central groove.
RISE ends with a lower tempo song called TIMELINE. This guitar-driven track features Yeseo and Mashiro, allowing them to flex some of their diva chops. However, much like many modern pop songs, it’s short and sweet, so there’s no opportunity for them to go HAM with vocal runs and other gymnastics. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant way to end the album.
Coming in at a scant 10 minutes total listening time RISE comes and goes rather quickly. But the songs on this album manage to leave a lasting impression. How this reset for the group formerly known as LIMELIGHT will work out will be something to watch. Based on this album, they are off to a good start on the second wave of their career.
