Every Dreamcatcher song ranked in order of greatness

Written by on 12/04/2022

dreamcatcher every song ranked list best greatness

Since their debut in 2017, Dreamcatcher have steadily expanded their repertoire of sound as one of K-pop’s most unorthodox acts, blending their heavy metal roots with just about every genre one could think of, conjuring up some of the most imaginative, unexpected releases of the generation.

  • READ MORE: Dreamcatcher – ‘Summer Holiday’ review: K-pop underdogs make room for horror in the summer

Over the years, the seven-member act have been steadily refining their one-of-a-kind sound, eventually landing on their rock-infused EDM signature. Though they have established a distinct identity, Dreamcatcher refuse to rest on their laurels, using their B-sides as a playground to dabble and innovate, resulting in some surprisingly delightful offerings each time they add to their discography. From summer-ready bubblegum pop, to heart-stopping trance, to dreamy, sensual jazz, the girls have truly done it all.

Having made NME Asia’s list of best Asian albums in 2020 with their debut studio effort ‘Dystopia: The Tree Of Language’, to say we’re eager to get our hands on its follow-up would be a serious understatement. But before we dive into the newly released ‘Apocalypse: Save Us’ – and make ranking this list any harder – let’s revisit all of the girl group’s releases. Without further ado, here are all of Dreamcatcher’s Korean and Japanese releases ranked in order of greatness.

dreamcatcher comeback album
Dreamcatcher. Credits: Dreamcatcher Company

‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind’ (2020)

A run-of-the-mill dance track, the English-language ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind’ sadly fails to establish itself as part of Dreamcatcher’s usually exceptional musical output with its predictable structure and heartbreakingly bland drops.

‘Emotion’ (2017)

There isn’t much going on in this song apart from the girls’ lovely vocals… and pairing it with a track as dynamic and exciting as ‘Chase Me’ makes it painfully obvious.

‘My Way’ (2019)

While the Japanese B-side ‘My Way’ begins on a promising note, its chorus disappointingly falls flat, making it one of Dreamcatcher’s biggest let-downs. As much as we love her, Dami’s awkwardly placed rap in the second verse really doesn’t help either.

‘Daydream’ (2019)

Perhaps just a little too daydream-y, this pleasant, subdued track leaves you with no memory of ever having listened to it.

‘Lullaby’ (2017)

True to its name, ‘Lullaby’ is a little bit of a snooze-fest up until its instrumental starts to pick up about a minute in, saving it from suffering the same fate as ‘Emotion’.

‘Trap’ (2018)

Before you grab your pitchforks, hear me out. With its creeping slow-burn build to an intense, beat-heavy chorus, ‘Trap’ was born out of all the right ideas, and could’ve easily become one of Dreamcatcher’s most iconic B-sides. However, its weak execution, particularly in the overly-repetitive chorus, makes it a rather underwhelming track that becomes less interesting with every listen.

‘Whistle’ (2021)

Another one of Dreamcatcher’s EDM-tinged dance tracks, this ‘Summer Holiday’ B-side makes for a fairly enjoyable, albeit a little outdated, summer bop.

‘Trust Me!’ (2017)

In their third release of 2017, Dreamcatcher finally begin to find their footing with slower songs, giving this track a much more distinctive identity than ‘Emotion’ and ‘Lullaby’.

‘Dear’ (2020)

A beautiful, tender, piano-led ballad, ‘Dear’ does exactly what it sets out to do, triggering a tidal wave of bittersweet emotion. There’s nothing wrong with this track, though you do need to be in a specific mood to really get into it.

‘Daybreak’ (2020)

While the members sound wonderful as always, this R&B-pop number just doesn’t particularly stand out.

‘Which A Star’ (2018)

Light and otherworldly, the dreamy ‘Which A Star’ offers a refreshing break from the punchy intensity of their second mini-album ‘Nightmare – Escape the Era’.

‘Breaking Out’ (2019)

Dreamcatcher’s first official Japanese-language single takes an unexpected shift from their usual work, opening with a bouncy, tropical-pop verse. Its transition into their signature rock in the chorus is done beautifully, though ‘Breaking Out’’s return to that tropical sound in its second verse comes off a little lacklustre.

‘Poison Love’ (2021)

Every bit as intoxicating as its title suggests, this cold yet aggressive synth-driven banger takes you on a memorable, heart-racing journey despite its structural simplicity.

‘Airplane’ (2021)

Bordering on bubblegum-pop, the exuberant, carefree ‘Airplane’ offers us a peek into an alternate universe where MINX never rebranded into Dreamcatcher. But as fun and joyful as this song is, I prefer the girls as they are right now, thank you very much.

‘The Curse Of The Spider’ (2019)

Returning to the act’s signature dance-rock sound, ‘The Curse Of The Spider’ makes for a fun listen, though it doesn’t quite pack the same punch as their title tracks.

‘Scar’ (2018)

Picking up where ‘Which A Star’ left off, Dreamcatcher wrap up their sophomore mini-album doing what they do best with ‘Scar’, an uplifting, energetic track with a surprisingly heavy, intense instrumental that just works.

‘4 Memory’ (2021)

With a light and gentle touch, as is often the case with tracks penned by leader JiU, Dreamcatcher urge us to hold on to the little things in this acoustic-EDM blend. Pleasant and optimistic, ‘4 Memory’ is a gorgeous ode to cherishing the beauty of life.

‘What’ (2018)

Despite its strong start and all-around high energy, the melodies in this 2018 track pale in comparison to their other singles. Though enjoyable, ‘What’ begins to feel just slightly repetitive by its second verse, putting it at the bottom of Dreamcatcher’s title tracks.

‘Diamond’ (2019)

Unbreakable. Untouchable. That’s all I have to say.

‘New Days’ (2021)

While not one of Dreamcatcher’s biggest standout tracks, ‘New Days’ is an optimistic, uplifting pop-rock number which reminds us that you can always pick yourself up and begin anew after tough times, taking with it a little piece of the exhaustion that comes with existence as it ends.

‘Silent Night’ (2019)

This song is the quiet, kind of scary, emo cousin of 2017’s ‘Sleep-walking’.

‘Tension’ (2020)

With its killer guitar solo opening, you already know this one is going to be one hell of a ride and boy, do Dreamcatcher deliver. More faithful to classic rock than the rest of their debut studio album, ‘Tension’ serves up pure, unadulterated, headbang-worthy intensity.

‘Paradise’ (Solo by Siyeon) (2020)

One of the most underrated main vocalists in K-pop, Siyeon shines in this soaring rock-ballad, perfectly closing out the group’s debut studio album on a powerful, haunting note.

‘Over The Sky’ (2019)

Released as a digital single to celebrate Dreamcatcher’s second anniversary, ‘Over The Sky’ is one of their brighter, though not necessarily lighter tracks. While retaining their much-loved rock sound, it takes on a more optimistic tone, and this, along with its heartfelt lyrics, make it the perfect fan-dedicated song.

‘Red Sun’ (2020)

The girls delve a little deeper into hip-hop in this toned-down, edgy number, though they don’t stray too far from their rock influences. Combined with the members’ delicate vocal work, ‘Red Sun’ feels beautifully dark, mysterious and a little sexy.

‘Endless Night’ (2020)

Dreamcatcher are truly at home with J-rock, and this song is irrefutable proof.

‘A Heart Of Sunflower’ (2021)

A tender, stripped-down ballad about longing for lost love, Dreamcatcher’s vocals take center stage in the low-key but stunning ‘A Heart Of Sunflower’. Yoohyeon in particular, shines in this track, her voice bringing each bittersweet word to life.

‘Don’t Light My Fire’ (2021)

There is something about this angsty, alternative-rock banger that brings us back Linkin Park’s mid-2000s stuff, which is never a bad thing.

‘Wind Blows’ (2021)

Just like its title suggests, this track will blow you away.

‘Break The Wall’ (2020)

One of Dreamcatcher’s most vocally impressive tracks, ‘Break The Wall’ reads like a desperate call-to-action, made to soundtrack the epic final fight in a female-led action film set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia.

‘No More’ (2021)

There is so much going on in this song, in a good way. Yes, more (please).

‘R.o.S.E bLUE’ (2020)

The girl group teamed up with video game music producer ESTi on this orchestral slow-burn rock track that remains rather faithful to their sound, though it seems to emphasise the dramatics of it all rather than their usual punchiness. Yet, not too bad for a song that was specially released for the mobile RPG game Girl Cafe Gun.

‘Sahara’ (2020)

In the same vein as ‘Red Sun’ is the mysterious, alluring ‘Sahara’, though this one does lean into the rock genre more than the former.

‘Polaris’ (2019)

Beautifully melodic, ‘Polaris’ is hands down one of Dreamcatcher’s best slow songs of all time. The exquisite instrumental steadily swells through its almost four-minute run, allowing you to fully appreciate both the girls’ gorgeous vocals without compromising on the song’s emotion.

‘Boca’ (2020)

Learning from the mistakes of ‘Breaking Out’, Dreamcatcher are much more successful in combining 2020’s tropical-craze in K-pop with their rock sound this time, bringing to the world this hopelessly addictive banger. Also, Gahyeon absolutely bodied this whole era.

‘Wonderland’ (2018)

Sending us down the rabbit hole is this dreamy, sultry R&B-laced number. Each member really gets to shine in ‘Wonderland’, flexing the full spectrum of their vocal creativity, while the ever-so-subtle distortion tops it with that quintessential Dreamcatcher edginess.

‘In The Frozen’ (2020)

One of the group’s most sonically interesting dance-heavy tracks, the sudden change in pace at the 2 minute and 45 seconds mark absolutely blows this one out of the water.

‘And There Was No One Left’ (2019)

Who gave Dreamcatcher the right to make such a depressing song so damn groovy? Despite its relatively minimalistic structure, the girls somehow manage to sound forlorn, empty and kind of creepily intriguing all at the same time.

‘Deja Vu’ (2019)

Dreamcatcher went heavy on the theatrics in this one, remaining uncharacteristically quiet in the verses until the roaring orchestral-rock breakdown kicks in during the chorus. Simple yet effective.

‘Sleep-walking’ (2017)

Can we shed some of the professionalism for a second to share a personal anecdote? This synth-led EDM banger was somehow the track that pushed this writer from a casual fan to a full-blown InSomnia five years ago despite her weird distaste for the genre at the time, so make of that what you will.

‘Full Moon’ (2018)

Released to celebrate their first anniversary together, ‘Full Moon’, while not the most out-there of Dreamcatcher’s creations, flawlessly captured and solidified their identity as a group.

‘BEcause’ (2021)

“We’re Dreamcatcher, and normal love is not in the dictionary for us,” said JiU of ‘BEcause’ in an interview with NME last year. From its haunting melodies to its eerie, doll-inspired choreography, the girl group remain perfectly on-brand in their all-consuming, creepy take on your typical lovesick K-pop fare and, well, what else can we say? We’re obsessed.

‘July 7th’ (2018)

The dreamy ‘July 7th’ is a wistful, stripped-down number based on the romantic folk tale The Cowherd And Weaver Girl. From its minimalistic reggae beat, which the song makes its focal point, to the members’ delicate vocals and dissonant whistles, this track aptly sets the scene for its poignant backstory of lovers in separation.

‘You And I’ (2018)

Enchanting, creepy and perfectly punchy, complete with some of the group’s best choreography to date, ‘You And I’ is that song. Like the members of Dreamcatcher, this track will have you hopelessly enthralled in one moment and begging for mercy in the next.

‘Mayday’ (2018)

If there is one thing all InSomnias can agree on, it is that ‘Mayday’ is the quintessential Dreamcatcher B-side.

‘Fly High’ (2017)

In their third release, Dreamcatcher decided to step away from the darkness of ‘Chase Me’ and ‘Good Night’ with this optimistic pop-rock number. Once again, another potential anime-opening track.

‘Eclipse’ (2021)

Did I already say that Dreamcatcher absolutely own J-rock? The most tightly produced of their Japanese title tracks, ‘Eclipse’ is an absolute masterpiece, from its gorgeous melodies to its artful ebbs and flows.

‘Good Night’ (2017)

In their first ever comeback with ‘Good Night’, Dreamcatcher really leaned into the horror concept. Its uncomfortable, dissonant music box opening is so creepy and haunting that, in all honesty, it made this writer regret working on this blurb in the middle of the night.

Soldiering on past that genuinely terrifying opening, ‘Good Night’ is an absolute delight for fans of the group’s more rock or heavy metal side, with its constant, raging electric guitar and thumping drums, completed by a scrumptious side of vocal distortion.

‘Wake Up’ (2017)

The relentless drumbeat and top-line of ‘Wake Up’ is fondly reminiscent of mid- to late-2000s pop-punk (think ‘Infinity On High’ by Fall Out Boy), bringing emo-kids-turned-K-pop-fans such as yours truly an obscene amount of joy.

‘Scream’ (2020)

While this writer is partial to fully sung choruses, ‘Scream’ fills the gaps between the members’ demonic chants of “devil, eyes, come” with a thrilling electric drop, its driving, staccato rhythm coming off almost like an insane, shredding guitar solo, making this track unlike anything else in K-pop.

‘Black Or White’ (2020)

‘Black Or White’ has everything you could want from a song: A deliciously groovy bass line, addictive, grunge-y guitar riffs and a handful of unnecessarily grandiose (but much appreciated) orchestral moments. The Michael Jackson-inspired choreography is a sick bonus.

‘Chase Me’ (2017)

Who makes their debut with a song this good? Dreamcatcher, apparently. Opening with an eerie piano melody, ‘Chase Me’ steadily picks up momentum as its drums and electric guitar kick in, bringing into the world that classic Dreamcatcher sound that we all know and love.

Seamlessly switching gears between tender and powerful, this track lulls you into a thrilling push-and-pull, perfectly embodying its lyrics, which tempts you to join a dangerous, unpredictable pursuit: “Chase me, keep chasing me / Like you’ve run out of breath (dangerous) / But I’ve already left that place (Where will I go this time?)”

‘Jazz Bar’ (2020)

Silky, sensual and seductive, ‘Jazz Bar’ is easily the best track off ‘Dystopia: The Tree of Language’. Why? Dami’s vocals in the bridge – no further explanation required.

‘Alldaylong’ (2021)

Per JiU’s suggestion, god bless her soul, Dreamcatcher took on the resurging genre of ‘80s-inspired city pop in last year’s ‘Summer Holiday’ and served up the exquisite ‘Alldaylong’ to soundtrack your warm summer nights. “Fall in love / The feeling that came to me like destiny / It’s like I’m dreaming,” they sing tenderly on the chorus of this dreamy retro gem, emulating the dizzying, blissful euphoria of falling in love.

‘I Miss You’ (2018)

A harmonious union of addictive, saccharine sweet J-pop and Dreamcatcher’s signature dance-rock blend, ‘I Miss You’ is a painfully underrated banger that this writer will shamefully admit to overlooking until it was time to put together this list.

On top of its infectious energy (once again, worthy of an epic anime opening sequence), this piano-led track keeps up an unrelenting, intense momentum through its three-minute-six-second run, making it one of the group’s most wonderfully addictive offerings to date.

‘Piri’ (2019)

There is just something about ‘Piri’ that feels kind of feral (in a good way), and we can’t get enough. Dreamcatcher put a cool spin on their usual style in this single, incorporating a haunting sample of the traditional Korean flute-like instrument the song is named after. Between that and its anthemic chorus, ‘Piri’ is one of the act’s most memorable title tracks yet.

‘Odd Eye’ (2021)

We finally arrive at the crown jewel of Dreamcatcher’s discography, the atmospheric, truth-seeking ‘Odd Eye’. This single is all about coming to the realisation that a utopia does not exist, with the girls’ coming to terms that their idealism has pulled the wool over their eyes to the harshness of reality, pretty hard-hitting stuff for a K-pop title track.

“The eyes have worn down the border / Despair coming at you till the end / Will there ever be an end? / Back and forth, this isn’t the place you’ve been looking for / No more Utopia,” they sing on the punchy chorus, punctuated by Siyeon and Yoohyeon’s incredible ad-libs.

The post Every Dreamcatcher song ranked in order of greatness appeared first on NME.


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