This is, perhaps, not the reaction they wanted to engineer.

But it’s the reaction they got.

Taemin’s new single, “Want,” expands the theme of Dark 80s. It’s delicious. The video is lush, complex, and visually pleasing—obviously showcasing Taemin’s physical beauty and otherworldly skill in dance.

What I find curious is how my reaction changed.

Yesterday, when the video was first released, I watched it. It’s sexy (can’t deny it). The beat and the lyrics work in tandem to, well, basically to seduce. Add that dance on top of it? It’s an incantation that’s nearly impossible to break.

Today, I decided to put in headphones, close my eyes, and listen. No visuals, no choreography, just the audio. “Want” isn’t the most musically complex song in the world, but it’s lovely to listen to. There are just enough aural easter eggs to keep things interesting through a hypnotic beat and bass line. The engineers did a good job of keeping the instrumental at a different timbre than Taemin’s voice, helping it to stand out. He’s not the strongest singer in the world, but well suited to this type of song.

My reaction? Nostalgia.

Pure utter longing for a time in music that I didn’t know—the 80s and early 90s. Back when synths and recordings were analog, and the bass riffs were played by human beings instead of a digital sample.

When musical recordings were fuzzier, not as sharp and bright as they are now.

I want to find a club with zero lasers and an analog turntable.

(They certainly don’t exist in my part of the world.)

Anyway,

“Want” is well-executed.

I’m waiting for the choreography videos.