The album The Star Chapter: Sanctuary was released on November 4, 2024, by the group Tomorrow by Together, or TXT. If you aren’t familiar with this group, let me introduce them to you!
TXT is a five-member boy group comprised of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. The group was formed by BigHit Music, a label under the HYBE Corporation, and they eventually debuted on March 4, 2019.
The Star Chapter: Sanctuary sold 1.2 million copies on its first day and 270,000 copies in Japan on its second day. So far, TXT has put out three studio albums, one repackaged album and six mini albums, making this their seventh release. Overall, this collection has its share of hits and misses.
Sanctuary has a total of six tracks, including the opening song, “Heaven”. This is about “the emotional high of falling in love”, as described by some MOAs (the name for the TXT fandom). This song has a disco vibe to it, which a lot of people love. Listening to “Heaven” feels like you’re entering a safe space created by TXT. However, this track gives me mixed feelings, because it doesn’t showcase the group’s usual creativity, and it sounds like just another “generic” K-pop song.
The second track, “Over The Moon”, revolves around the intense emotions a person has while being in love and the complex feelings that come with it. The song gives off a euphoric sensation and expresses the sensation of being enchanted by someone you love. The lyrics also convey that love is something that “elevates the person,” making it a more magical experience. The band members also express their vulnerability, which makes it quite emotional.
Meanwhile, “Danger” is the third track of this album, and it’s about the risky feeling of falling in love with someone that may not be good for you, and the thrill that comes with that risk. All in all, this track was quite underwhelming compared to the other songs found here, because it doesn’t stand out as much as you would hope, and it lacks its own energy and uniqueness.
All in all, one of their best songs in this album is “Forty One Winks”. This track is not as over-hyped, like “Over The Moon”, but it has a nostalgic vibe to it, which fans really love. The lyrics are also deep, and you’ll find comfort and peace after listening to them. This track also showcases TXT’s vocals in a beautiful way.
In the end, this album gives me mixed feelings, because most tracks are either a hit or a miss. But altogether it is quite enjoyable to listen to, so you should give it a try!
And, if you like the songs on this album, you should also listen to some other songs by TXT, especially “Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)” and “Higher Than Heaven”.
