Looking for a Winter album to sit and get cosy with during the festive season? Here’s our review on EXO‘s Miracles In December
1. 12월의 기적 (Miracles in December) A very sad song but wonderfully sung by the group. It talks about a guy struggling to find the person who loved him and how he regrets not seeing their feelings to begin with. He reflects on the good memories with this special person during that winter period and how he comes to realise it has changed him.
2. Christmas Day First slow R’n’B track on this mini album. A guy describes his special someone as if they were Christmas Day. Somebody to look forward to seeing and spending a lot of time with during the cold, winter nights of the Christmas season. “I get excited like a kid just like those days, just like that time. You’re just like Christmas day.”
3. The Star The opening keyboard beat brings out the funky side of this album. A guy is having a stroll in the winter evening. Nothing special going on until a bright star shines nearby. Other people spot this shining star and eventually so does the guy whose uneventful night just got busy with this pretty girl’s magical presence and he’s being pulled in by her. You may find the Tell Me About It is very catchy here. Also, Kris’s English rap was quite a surprise when it came up.
4. My Turn to Cry Another slow track and it’s much more personal here. A guy wakes up from a bad dream but is saddened because his lover is not by his bedside to hug and comfort him. He reminisces on the times he helped her tears turn into smiles and insists her tears should be given to him because it is his turn to cry. There’s a brief pause in the song which could be seen as the end of the track but in fact is a bridge. It really brings out the emotional side of this song with great effect.
5. 첫 눈 (The First Snow) This track talks about a guy who broke up with his girlfriend a year ago. He regrets letting her go and wishes he could turn back the clock but also wonders if he’d tear up if he saw her again in the present time. Would he be able to say hi and Merry Christmas to her?
6. 12월의 기적 (Miracles in December) ~ Classical Orchestra Version An instrumental version of the main single. Even without the vocals the orchestral music still manages to carry the heartache and sadness of the song’s story very strongly. A possible instrumental song to cry to if you want to work on your tear ducts perhaps…
UK Potential: 3.5/5
UK music fans who are fond of the R’n’B genre may find this album appealing, namely with tracks like My Turn To Cry, First Snow or The Star. Miracles In December may not grab the listener’s attention immediately unless they are fine with easy-listening / very slow tracks to mellow down to. With The Star, Kris’s English rap might be a marmite thing for the listener. They could either cringe from the lyrics or still enjoy groovying along to the beat.
Overall:
Glancing at the tracks on this special Winter album, Miracles In December may not have the same level of variety as XOXO *however* it does its job by delivering a small musical gift in the form of six Christmas/Winter-themed songs. If you’re looking to spend some of your free time during Christmas with EXO this may be the album to do that.
