iKON are back with the last installment of their “New Kids” series “The Final”. The title track “Goodbye Road” is an upbeat but bittersweet breakup ballad, full of emotional lyrics about a regretful love. The seven boys alternate between wishing the best for their leaving lover and regretting the emotional time they’ve spent together, singing that “if I knew we were going to break up, I shouldn’t have loved you so much” as a slow melody punctuates their words. The track also features a muted crescendo of group singing at the end that convey a sense of not being alone in their heartache.
The “Goodbye Road” is a lonely one, but even in heartbreak the boys desire a bright future for every party in the relationship. The rest of the EP is also on the slower, more relaxed side. It picks up a little with “Don’t Let Me Know” featuring a rhythmic and decisive beat that transitions into a happy and cheerful refrain. The boys sing together once more, adding to the lively feel of the song. The next track “Adore You” is wistful, with soothing and sweet vocals and a small undercurrent of longing and melancholy. The last track is a Korean version of their Japanese song “Perfect” now available in studio quality for fans. For those who like iKon’s more thoughtful and reflective side, the sparse music video features gentle dance moves and moody, brooding tableaus of the boys in varying states of goodbyes and loneliness. Most of the MV takes place on empty roads, shipyards, and bare buildings and rooftops.
You can watch “Goodbye Road” here, and check out the rest of the four-track EP on all music streaming services.
