[9] White Night was noted for being "filled with evocative melodies and heartfelt lyrics" while exploring "a range of emotions through a variety of musical influences, with a certain preference for the melancholic blend of EDM".

"[12] Known as Big Bang's "resident R&B smooth crooner",[10] Taeyang projects "himself as an irresistible mournful lover" with his "mellow and soulful vocals".

"[14] The second song and single "Wake Me Up" was described as having a "dream-like atmosphere",[13] featuring "strong EDM beats",[15] and an introduction use sounds that "play off the notion of dawn and the various fauna that can be heard during that time.

[15][10] Lyrically, the song "shows sensibility for one's significant others' actions and claims",[13] while the singer realizes the "imminence of the moment's end, then the resulting heartache.

Lyrically, the song narrates that "a ex has attempted to resurface in his life", but the singer "is firm and resolute in not allowing her to invade his mind and heart as she did previously.

"[12] "Naked" was noted for being for "mature and sensual" with an "updated Al Green-esque feel",[14] that firsts sounds like a ballad before moving into a "fist-pumping, synth-laden chorus".

[21] The album was made available for pre-order on August 14, on China's QQ Music, and within a few hours of release, it achieved gold status with a total of 16,000 digital copies sold.

The sensual standout 'Naked' sees Tae passionately pleading a case for intimacy ('I want you naked/ Through the night,' he sings over punchy production) while the record's sole collaboration on 'Tonight' featuring Zico sees the guys detailing the intricate intimacies of transforming a hook up into true love among a slew of sexy lyrics (Good luck not getting chills when Taeyang closes the track belting 'Let's make love because it feels so right/ Tonight is the night/ We can't stop, baby, won't stop' in his best Michael Jackson impression).

"[28] Singaporean magazine Teenage felt that the album was "perhaps his most sonicaly intriguing to date" and hailed "Taeyang's expressive vocals - which sound right at home no matter what genre he goes for - and lovelorn lyrics" the reasons why the record "grabs you by the throat relentlessly till the last note.

"[12] Affinity Magazine named White Night the best K-pop album of the year, writing that the whole record "flirts with the R&B sound he usually goes for", and feeling that it was "one of those works you couldn't get tired of, even if you wanted to.