The Star Chapter: Sanctuary by Tomorrow X Together

Review written by Harana

The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY is a warm and refreshing mini album with six heart-fluttering tracks that will have you floating on cloud nine. This comeback is all about love; five member K-Pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER finds sanctuary in a loved one amidst the chaos of life, finding the strength to face reality. Six years after debut, TXT approach their seventh EP with maturity, not only in the album’s themes, but also their exponential growth as artists. Whether you’re a fan of the group like me or you’re a first time listener, The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY will instantly boost your mood, like warm rays of sunlight coming through the clouds on a cold November day. The project glides through waves of sweet and smooth, creating an easy listening experience. Each track explores an aspect of love, and perfectly captures its message through the vocal performance and production.

“Heaven,” our first track, is a cute pop earworm. With bright synths, a bouncy bassline, and equally bright and bouncy vocals, the song conveys blissful love. Upon my first listen, I couldn’t help but smile hearing the members – the lower melodies swim in honey, and their higher notes are sprinkled in sugar crystals. It’s cheesy in the best way, lighthearted and trendy. “Higher Than Heaven,” our last track, has a nostalgic 2010’s pop rock boy band sound. The group’s heartfelt and powerful vocals soar with energetic guitar chords and percussion, a song you and your friends blast on a summer drive with the windows rolled down. These tracks bookend the album, starting and ending the project with pure sweetness.

In contrast, “Danger” and “Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)” convey a smooth, sensual vibe. “Danger” talks about losing oneself in desire. It’s a 2000’s R&B pop track with lax sultry vocals, funky instruments, charming synth, and a playful beat to amp up the energy. Sensual isn’t new to TXT, but they haven’t explored this specific sound, so I was surprised by the vibe – in true fangirl fashion, my jaw kept dropping throughout my first listen because of how unexpected it was, which made for a funny and memorable experience. “Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)” is passionate, a declaration of devotion with emotional guitar chords, pulsing synth, and fast-paced reggaeton-like drums. Honestly, I was a hater at first – I found it too sonically busy, and the percussion stuck out to me in a weird way. But after more listens, I find it addictive, and I appreciate how dynamic it is. I don’t think the project would feel as complete without this track. But the whiplash explains the initial disdain I had for it – in an album with the vibe of making a warm morning tea, “Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)” is getting a punchy cocktail before you get down on the club dance floor; it’s a great time, but it may be intense if you weren’t in the mood for it.

“Forty One Winks” and “Over the Moon” balance the sweet and smooth. They both utilize swelling chords and twinkling bells for the fairy tale mystique that TXT is known for, but “Forty One Winks” is a warm R&B track – romantic, but playful and comfortable. It conveys the intimacy of understanding and being understood by a loved one. The title track “Over the Moon” is a more energetic pop hit, using upbeat percussion, funky bass, and solid rock-like guitar chords to convey devotion. I was caught off-guard on my first listen; it undoubtedly had the TXT sound and quality that producer Slow Rabbit is known for, but despite familiarity, the song felt different compared to previous title tracks. After more listens, I realized that this a new chapter of TXT’s music, and thus a new sound.

Lore aside, TXT’s music tells a coming-of-age story. Their debut title track “CROWN” describes someone going through the same growing pains as you, and finding beauty in your own imperfections through finding beauty in theirs. It’s a poppy song with lyrics that brush on deeper themes despite being childlike: “Maybe I have turned into a monster,” “The sensation of [the heart] going pit-a-pat,” and “Stop the loneliness, abracadabra.” The concept is fantastical and cheesy to the point that the members were embarrassed of it at first, but it resonated with people across the globe. Their sound later grew to convey emotional intensity– the title track “0X1=LOVESONG” from The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE is beloved for capturing youth’s dramatics through its sentimental rock sound and gritty, longing vocals. This contrasts from “CROWN” with blunt lyrics: “I was fine to die, I’m a loser in this game,” “Please use me like a drug,” and “I won’t be able to get into heaven, I don’t belong there.” When this came out, I was a teenager during the COVID-19 lockdown struggling with declining mental health, losing friendships, and an unhealthy relationship. When I felt the world was crashing down on me, I would close my eyes and blast this song in my ears, letting myself feel sad, angry, lonely. It conveys a desperation and recklessness that I found very cathartic.

But after the pain of The Chaos Chapter, accepting reality through The Name Chapter, and remembering the future they promised their loved one in the Minisode 3: Tomorrow, the members start out The Star Chapter excited and certain about the future instead of fearing it. This results in a song with quiet confidence, compared to the emotional roller coaster of previous title tracks. “Over the Moon” has lyrics such as “This land of eternity” and “Let’s build ancient futures,” reading like wedding vows rather than the heartbreak of the past. There’s commitment, inspiring each other to better oneself and stand strong in the face of fear rather than resorting to escapism. It’s the perfect progression from the previous title track “Deja Vu,” which used similar production elements to portray uncertainty, but also reunion and hope. “Over the Moon” calms the boys’ previous fears, saying their future will be okay alongside their loved one.

While I’m unsure of my future, I trust it and look forward to it; I’ve found sanctuary in myself after years of building it. The members may connect with that feeling; Soobin conveys his strong and maturing mentality in a recent Weverse Magazine interview: “Every moment of our lives is packed with good times and bad times … but in the end, I think, I’m on a path towards joy. Even things that are so agonizing that you want to die … so bad you’re certain they’re weighing on you forever, eventually pass … Even some of the stuff I’m going through now can be tough, to be honest, but I’m never going to give up. There’s still so much I want to give.” This captures the sentiment of TXT’s musical journey – through life’s struggles, we can always look to the past and towards the future for moments of joy. The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY encapsulates that joy. This is one of my favorite releases from TXT– it’s happiness in a bottle, feel-good fun. TOMORROW X TOGETHER reminds us that although we embrace maturity, there is always the hope, love, and magic of youth to be found.