THROWBACK #22: DREAMCATCHER- FLY HIGH

Released: July 27th, 2017

Rarely do K-Pop musical acts with a rock-orientated discography ever take the center of attention in South Korea, but one group seems to have broken that mold already. From their debut single Chase Me all the way to Scream, Dreamcatcher has consistently released stellar after stellar tracks that seamlessly meshes rock with various genres, and all that hard work has paid off. Although they have yet to win on a live music show, overseas it's a different story. A successful comeback and world tour in the second half of 2019 has propelled the group to new heights, and everyone including myself has been digging the extra content catered to on their social media. With that being said, I absolutely fell in love with Chase Me, but with Dreamcatcher soaking full of talent, they managed to exceed expectations and release an even better single right after. Fly High is the answer to the critics that question if Dreamcatcher can ever hang with the big K-Pop acts. It's a uplifting track that's full of grit and bliss, yet stays true to the attitude and the image that defines Dreamcatcher on stage. A piano solo showcase at the very beginning suddenly transforms into a majestic rock concert with bombarding percussion and crazy guitar riffs that's reminiscent of the original Chase Me days. Unlike Chase Me though, Fly High's percussion is more upbeat, and is a departure from their traditional use. Fly High carries that pulse of energy throughout the verses and takes it all the way back to the chorus. The progression in the verses is just beautiful, where each component from the intro are slowly re-introduced. The placement of the rap is also a nice touch.

Finally we get to the chorus, and it is everything that I could positively imagine with Dreamcatcher's sound. Soaring vocals and the gorgeous texture of guitar and strings brings even more life to this section, and is a primitive example of how far the group has come. The instrumental right after reasserts the atmosphere of Fly High before wasting no time to fly to the second half. The best part has yet to come though. Right after the second chorus, an eruptive percussion break follows, before paving way to one of the most effective bridges I have ever heard; a short but sweet modulation of a chime-filled melody that boasts their talented vocals to the greatest extent. At one point, the music fades to put the vocals in the spotlight, before smacking everything back for Fly High's final climax.

Fly High remains as the epitome of Dreamcatcher's discography; it finds a home in both the rock-infused world and the mainstream K-Pop household. It's ability to sew together the unheard elements of vigorous healthy guitar doses with the commonly known ones of dance-pop and its repetitive structure is very unique, and has changed the narrative on Dreamcatcher's stance towards K-Pop. Their genre that used to be ridiculed and made fun of is now becoming more popular than ever, thanks to their brilliance and the creativity of Fly High.

RATING: 7.7/10