Korean Music & Kpop Reviews

[SINGLE] Dawn - Dear My Light

7.5 out of 10

Taking up with Groovyroom’s AREA after parting ways with P-Nation, Dawn’s first release with the label is the soul-bearing ‘Dear My Light’. Lead by not much more than an acoustic loop and a vulnerable performance by Dawn, ‘Dear My Light’ is as tragic as it is therapeutic. Capturing the feeling of loss, selflessness and acceptance in a truly beautiful vignette, Dawn delivers a career-best vocal performance. Dawn’s perspective is relatable but also almost entirely unique given the nature of his highly publicized relationship and what that relationship represented in the context of the industry. The instrumentation is simple, but Dawn’s entrancing vocal performance is what gives the song the gravity and emotional potency that it needs.

[ALBUM] Mckdaddy - Fatal

6.0 out of 10

Since landing with one of the most impressive debut rap albums perhaps ever in Korean hip-hop in 2019, Mckdaddy has continued to rap on a technical level that is a cut above the rest, but has largely struggled to capture the musicality and energy that ‘I’m In Trouble’ so perfectly bottled. ‘Fatal’ is the rappers latest EP, and while it’s still a far cry from Mckdaddy’s best, it’s perhaps his most noteworthy project since. He has never come up short on quick, razor sharp flows and ‘Fatal’ is no exception with standouts being on ‘Most Underrated’ and the buoyant ‘Good Morning’. It’s mostly the occasional bland production choices and some undercooked hooks that keep ‘Fatal’ feeling rather bogged down at parts. Though there are production highlights such as the intro with its fun scratches and cloudy atmosphere. ‘Fatal’ feels like Mckdaddy finally stepping from the shadow of a tremendous debut, with a commendable about of swings.

[SINGLE] Lee Gi Kwang - Predator

8.0 out of 10

2023 has kicked off to a roaring start thus far with a ton of releases, a lot of which I have been really enjoying! Just wanted to share some quick thoughts/reviews on some recent projects just to get them out there. Hope everyone has been having a good 2023 so far!

[ALBUM] AP Alchemy - Side A

8.5 out of 10

A restructuring of sorts, industry veteran Swings launches the AP Alchemy collective with a phenomenal showing on the crew’s first compilation album. With fresh faces that bring new-school energy, matched by the renewed hunger on staple names like Kid Milli, Blacknut and of course head honcho Swings. The production is incredibly detailed and highly curated, with a handful of standouts from Nochang and Saewoo. AP Alchemy make an enormous amount of noise on ‘Side A’, all of which is immaculately produced and performed. Front runner for rap album of 2023.

[ALBUM] Code Kunst - Remember Archive

5.0 out of 10

Code Kunst feels like he’s in two minds with his latest LP, on one hand trying to push a more chart-orientated sound while also building on his signature moody sound; in doing so he ends up doing neither with much finesse. ‘Remember Archive’ is largely bland, the softer production is missing the tailor-like touches of ‘Muggle Mansion’ and the rap features are often lackluster. The vocal guests do come through with a fair few memorable performances, but more often than not, the production feels like an imitation of Code Kunst’s own seminal works.

[ALBUM] Crucial Star & QM - Gold

7.0 out of 10

Teaming up on ‘Gold’ Crucial Star and QM concoct a lot of chemistry over the tightly produced EP. Crucial Star, after what feels like an eternity of dormancy as an artist feels fully rejuvenated spitting alongside the highly skilled QM. The production is modest, but rich in its subtlety as the two MCs continually drop highly polished verses.

[SINGLE] Bobby - Cherry Blossom

6.0 out of 10

Touting his most impressive and nuanced vocal performance yet, Bobby surprises with the delightful ‘Cherry Blossom’. The pretty lyrical motifs are driven by Bobby’s bittersweet performance and the warmly tinted pop/rock production. Though the verses are fantastic and the hook is catchy, the songwriting is a little repetitive and the empty lull that is the bridge slightly handicap an otherwise competent single.

[SINGLE] FIFTY FIFTY - Cupid

9.0 out of 10

Following up their excellent debut EP, Fifty Fifty’s latest single is every bit as exciting as their debut. The slick synth-pop production is immaculately mixed, with an arrangement that exudes luxury. ‘Cupid’ prides itself on the spectacular, personality-rich vocal performance from the members and its ridiculously infectious hook. ‘Cupid’ is about as good as pop gets - the fluid songwriting, vibrant performances and glittery production is all you could ever want.

[SINGLE] J-Hope - On The Street (feat. J. Cole)

6.5 out of 10

[ALBUM] Khakii - Tide

8.5 out of 10

Glowing with understated charisma that is backed by technical talent and ear for production, ‘Tide’ is Khakii’s most representative body of work thus far that is inimitably cool. Finding a balance between melodies and bars, Khakii’s ability to weave in between grooves and rhythms is so precisely tailored to a point where it sounds effortless and natural. Khakii surfs like no other over ‘Floating’, keeping up without a sweat next to the legendary Tiger JK who brings a fittingly subtle energy to the bouncy production. Taking strides into light psychedelic sounds and even gospel, Khakii continues to challenge himself, and subsequently come out on top with finesse and confidence. ‘Lost’ and ‘Laundry’ on the other hand show that he has no trouble sounding trendy either, but on his own elevated and irresistibly groovy terms.‘Tide’ dials back a bit on the production compared to his more experimental singles prior, but they’re all arranged with depth and texture, providing lush soundscapes for Khakii to do what he does best over them. ‘Tide’ is a tight little EP that really does have it all, without coming up short or compromising on just about any of its many endeavors. Khakii continues to be one of rap’s most eclectic (and unfortunately overlooked) acts today.

[SINGLE] Blackpink - Pink Venom

3.0 out of 10

An event as always, Blackpink make their long awaited return ahead of their second LP, ‘Born Pink’ with ‘Pink Venom’ - which by all intents and purposes is a standard Blackpink affair. Blackpink and their production team are operating on diminishing returns when it comes to this hyper-specific and identifiable template of on-trend pop anthems. Again a slight reshuffle of sounds and textures that are well-worn with a few tastes of something new; scarcely is there any excitement to be found in ‘Pink Venom’ despite its volume and density. ‘Pink Venom’ does come with some Blackpink guarantees, and that is found in the song’s highly polished arrangement and robust performances, especially Jennie’s bombastic opening-verse. The hook is sure to be polarizing; while the bassy synth lead has a catchy groove to it, the refrains don’t do much to complement it diluting the section of any measurable impact. Rounded off with what is easily the most throwaway patented YG-song outro yet, ‘Pink Venom’ is all bark with little to no bite. Having a signature sound is important, and can be something to hold pride in, but when that sound refuses to grow is when it becomes a weakness. Blackpink and co. have shown on numerous occasions that they have avenues they can explore, but their representative sound on their singles has remained stagnant for years now. 

[ALBUM] D.Ark - End of Puberty

4.0 out of 10

[ALBUM] DPR IAN - Moodswings in To Order

DPR IAN shows real growth on his first full-length album on almost all fronts: his ear for production, storytelling prowess and creative direction take center stage on ‘Moodswings In To Order’ to great effect. 7.5 out of 10

Developing on the themes and sounds of 2021′s ‘This Order’, DPR IAN’s full-length debut is a more narratively expansive, and sonically engaging body of work that is thoroughly impressive. Entirely produced by fellow DPR labelmate, DPR REM, the alt-pop and indie-pop/rock influences that drive the record are vividly realized and rather cinematic; from the dramatic opening ‘Seraph’, to the handful of instrumental sections towards the tail end of songs like ‘Miss Understood’ and to the brilliantly catchy mental health anthem that is ‘Sometimes I’m’ - It can’t be overstated just how rich and vibrant REM’s production is on here, and Ian’s direction in the tracklisting lets the record flow like silk.

The drawbacks of 2021′s ‘This Order’ also carry over however, namely in Ian’s vocal performances and often overly-simplistic approach to melodies and song structure. This approach works well on some cuts, but others, especially the more mellow moments lead to some rather forgettable vocal melodies that just seem to blend into one another without any distinguishing qualities. Vocally, it’s clear that Ian still has room to grow, to find the nuances in his voice and bring them to the surface. Though likely an intentional aesthetic choice, his more low energy performances don’t feel moody, or emotional, they just come off bland. There are some very notable highs however; once again ‘Sometimes I’m’, which is a track where the simplicity really ties the bouncy pop-rock production and catchy melodies together. ‘Ballroom Extravangaza’ is another highlight vocally, which is one of the more untouched vocal mixes and it is definitely one of the most powerful moments on the record.

Vocal modulations continue to be a core production element on ‘To Order’ (2022), seemingly doubling as a way to serve a song’s atmosphere, but also to give Ian some more expression in his occasionally limited vocal performances - the results are a bit mixed; at its best, it adds an extra layer of intrigue that really elevates everything, like on ‘Miss Understood’ which almost sounds like a duet. In other cases, it can come off rather distracting.

‘To Order’ (2022) once again revisits Ian’s ‘Mito’ character in its lyrics, with a much more cinematic, and narrative-driven flair. His writing is layered in that you can take the almost, screenplay-like lyrics at times at face value but you can also dig deeper and find the links between the fiction and Ian/Christian’s reality. Lyrically, Ian is clearly at his best here, his storytelling is more immersive and his brain-mapping is more organized. This all works in an entrancing tandem with the deep and engrossing soundscapes for a very fulfilling and, once again cinematic experience. It’s rather impressive how comprehensive the world-building is, and how Ian laces his experience and struggles with his mental health into the narrative while keeping everything very accessible and relatable.

There’s been a lot of interesting projects I’ve listened to over the last couple of months! Haven’t quite had time to write out some reviews but just wanted to get some quick thoughts out there on some projects in a much shorter format than usual, everything has still been scored but the written portion will be less in depth more akin to my year-end posts.

[ALBUM] J-Hope - Jack in The Box

7.0 out of 10

J-Hope’s debut solo project is quite striking; Inspired production that is vividly textured, J-Hope is faithful to his influences while pushing himself as a musician and rapper. Though held back by some lackluster hooks and the surprisingly short format, ‘Jack in The Box’ is still one of the most interesting idol solo projects in years in terms of its sonic direction.

[ALBUM] Dok2 - Filipino South Korean Rapstar

7.5 out of 10

After the dissolution of the legendary Illionaire and Dok2′s subsequent distancing from the Korean Hip-Hop industry, he returns in top form with a new mixtape that is a reaffirmation of his position in the rap scene. An electric run of tracks in the middle of the tape is pure rap excellence that is a perfect example of why so many rappers hold him in such high regard.

[ALBUM] Woo!Ah! - Joy

7.0 out of 10

Despite a rather weak title track, rookie group Woo!Ah!’s first body of work is an excellent display of vibrant, personality-rich pop that covers a lot of ground while still sounding unified in vision. The girls of Woo!Ah! eminate charisma and charm through the plethora of sticky melodies throughout. Pre-release single ‘Catch The Stars’ may just well be 2022′s most contagiously uplifting song of the year.

[ALBUM] Justhis - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night II

6.0 out of 10

Justhis does Justhis things on his new EP, it’s less of a cohesive project and more of a show of athleticism over an array of beats that vary perhaps a bit too much in quality. Justhis himself sounds as excellent as ever however, and the feature spots all bring something to their respective tracks with standouts going to newcomer GongGongGoo009 on the opener. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable EP, but ‘Do Not Go’ is a far cry from the artistic statements that ‘4 The Youth’ and ‘2 Many Homes 4 1 Kid’ were.

[ALBUM] Aespa - Girls

4.5 out of 10

The stage was set for Aespa to continue innovating and breaking boundaries, but they oddly play it perhaps a bit too safe on their second EP, ‘Girls’. The production is highly polished and there are some great moments, but the edge that separated them from their contemporaries feels like its been sanded down. What’s presented is serviceable, but there are noticeably more lulls and much less of an artistic imprint on this EP.

[SINGLE] STAYC - Beautiful Monster

7.0 out of 10

STAYC and Black Eyed Pilseung switch things up on ‘Beautiful Monster’, but what remains constant is the immaculate finishing and textures on their title tracks. The mix has so much depth, but it doesn’t feel empty thanks to great use of the girls’ varied tones and the song’s numerous minor embellishments. The hook is a showstopping moment, especially towards the closer.

[ALBUM] Ahn Byeong Woong - Hook Up

5.0 out of 10

[SINGLE] Winner - I Love U

6.5 out of 10

After quite some time away, Winner return in 2022 picking up where they left out sound-wise with ‘I Love U’, which is another glossy upbeat pop number. ‘I Love U’ has some great moments; the verses’ more skeletal approach lets the subtle arrangement touches and vocal performances shine through. Moreover, the bridge is infectiously joyful and of course, the absurdly high ‘I Love You’ refrain in the hook is an excellent centerpiece moment. Said refrain has some tasteful processing layered on Seungyoon’s vocals - adding a synth-like quality, while still preserving his natural vocal timbre. However, the single is not without its shortcomings; the pre-chorus washes away the personality from the verses with an extremely bland instrumental palette and boring melodic buildup. While the refrain does standout in the hook, the padding around it comes off as just that: padding. As excellent and fun as the bridge is, especially the layered group vocals, it all resolves suddenly and unsatisfyingly. Winner’s return is definitely amiable, and sits among one of the group’s better entries into their discography in recent memory.

More Winner Reviews:

[ALBUM] EXIT:E / [ALBUM] EVERYD4Y

[SINGLE] Ah Yeah / [SINGLE] Millions

[SINGLE] VIVIZ - Loveade

4.0 out of 10

VIVIZ presented themselves as a very compelling and refreshed trio with their debut EP and lead single ‘Bop Bop’ earlier in 2022. Now back not long after their debut with a summer tune, ‘Loveade’ is rather far from the homerun of their debut single. The track opens up charmingly enough, the soft, rubbery verses play nicely with the girls’ glassier vocal tones before kicking into the hook which is perhaps the song’s weakest point. Being situated almost entirely in this higher register, which the girls unfortunately don’t sound entirely comfortable in, lends to a very static feeling chorus where neither the performances or the serviceable at best production can elevate. The little ‘Loveade’ breakdown is a nice comedown moment and rather catchy, playing with the percussion well. ‘Loveade’ also has some rather flat mixing in the production, leading the instrumental to sound rather muddied with no dynamics in the mix. A rap section that feels like an odd choice for a group like VIVIZ is just yet another questionable creative decision for the song. ‘Loveade’ is a disappointing follow-up to a spectacular debut, largely just due to a conflict between the group’s strengths as a unit and the creative direction taken on this single.

Related Reviews:

Mid-Year Roundup: Beam of Prism

Albums of 2017: The Awakening (#4)

[ALBUM] Huh - 926

4.0 out of 10

7.0 out of 10

Not long after the announcement of BTS’ hiatus, comes the first of undoubtedly many solo projects from the group. J-Hope steps up first to bat with the pre-release single, ‘More’ ahead of his first studio album. ‘More’ is an exclamation of J-Hope’s passion as an artist, and is legitimately a huge swing sonically - while not all of its production and songwriting elements land, much of it does, and does so to great effect.

The grimy and dark bassline which permeates through the instrumental adds some fantastic texture to the sound of ‘More’ which is further elevated by a stellar performance from J-Hope on the verses; his more methodical and calculated delivery is entrancing as he emphasizes all the right moments. The grungy aesthetic is played up all the way on ‘More’, and it works rather excellently in the verses but the hook, despite a nice crunchy riff, is left feeling undercooked. The mix on J-Hope’s shouting just sounds out of place, and this vocal section itself just feels rather aimless and unfinished, sounding more like a placeholder for a feature which really would’ve elevated the song. While most likely an artistic choice, it’s a choice that doesn’t do the song any favors, rendering a central part of the song rather lackluster. ‘More’ also resolves to the end rather abruptly and awkwardly.

[SINGLE] D.Ark - Stay (feat. Twlv)

7.0 out of 10

Barely eighteen years of age, rapper D.Ark’s career has been eventful to say the least. After a short stay at Psy’s P-Nation, the now independent D.Ark and has been exploring his musicality and his latest effort lands on trend with the synthpop/wave influenced ‘Stay’ featuring Twlv. By all accounts, it’s a rather impressive effort; D.Ark is emotive and surprisingly confident over the lovesick tune, stringing along some great, sticky melodies along the way. Though he is arguably upstaged by Twlv who brings more nuance in his performance, D.Ark is far from being out of his depth as a vocalist here. The bulk of the production is functional, but there are a couple of standout touches on ‘Stay’, like the oscillating lead synths in the hook and outro, which lends a nice bit of texture to the instrumentation. ‘Stay’ is not only D.Ark’s most impressive claim as a vocalist yet, but also stands as one of the true highlights of his discography thus far.

[SINGLE] Lightsum - Alive

3.0 out of 10

With the phenomenal ‘Vivace’ under their belt from last year, Lightsum quickly became a group to look forward to in the ever-competitive girl group market. ‘Alive’ is the girls’ latest release, it takes after ‘Vivace’ in its maximalist qualities, but does so with much less finesse in execution. ‘Alive’ has a lot of ideas jammed into it, and a good few of them feel like solid points to build a great pop song around, but instead ‘Alive’ feels like it takes a kitchen sink approach to the production and songwriting resulting in a rather tiresome listen while imparting little substance. There’s no sense of brevity to be found anywhere, and the hook feels especially sloppy in its construction. The vocal melodies lack direction and is resolved by an awkward instrumental breakdown. ‘Alive’ is a disappointing return for a team capable of putting out something as technically impressive as 2021′s ‘Vivace’.

[SINGLE] Nayeon - Pop!

4.0 out of 10

‘As always, I’m finding less and less time to write reviews but I just wanted to get some thoughts out on a couple of albums I’ve been really loving now that we’re just coming up on the halfway mark this year. In no particular order below, are five of my favorite albums so far in 2022.

TAEYEON - INVU

Continually shaping herself as one of the industry’s most compelling idol soloists, Taeyeon’s full-length effort in 2022 came in swinging with gorgeous production and as expected, killer vocal performances. Curating from prevailing pop trends but never feeling contrived, Taeyeon and her team understand how to bend and shift these sonic influences in a way that allows Taeyeon to really feel natural over the array of tasteful production found on the record. ‘INVU’ plays like a comprehensive summary of Taeyeon as a solo artist, and it just so happens to be an extremely entertaining and compelling summary at that.

YOUNHA - END THEORY: FINAL EDITION

Now repackaged with new additions, 2021′s album of the year continues to shine through 2022. Younha’s most narrative-driven record yet, the songstress graces her way through a series of tracks that all deal with the concept of endings and goodbyes. Through the lenses of love, friendship, time and beyond, Younha’s deconstruction and dissertation on how it feels, and what it means for things to come to an end feel so intimate, but also universally relatable. From the heart-shattering ‘How You Doing’, which can be interpreted in so many different ways, to the much more optimistic ‘Oort Cloud’ which is one of a handful of space-themed references as a symbol of looking towards the unknown, Younha appropriately covers a lot of ground over an idea as sprawling, but also as simple as ‘the end’.

‘End Theory’ is best encapsulated by a series of lines from the aforementioned ‘How You Doing’ which read: “I’ve grown enough to embrace them, The kids going through the same things, I’m proud of myself.”

Lil Moshpit - AAA

Hwimin of Groovyroom’s solo debut as a lead artist not only comes in strong, it may well be 2022′s rap album of the year. The producer-artist assembles an all star set of features that are carefully placed on some of the most inspired and immaculately produced beats of the year. There’s not a single weak performance found on ‘AAA’, with standout showings from Big Naughty and SAAY on the filthy ‘BO$$’, to Leellamarz closer on the mesmerizing ‘On The Block’ and even Sik-K of all people on his solo feature on ‘Slatty Slut’. Hwimin aka Lil Moshpit fully distinguishes himself from his work with Groovyroom, the grimy and often trippy production is vividly realized and he demonstrates a fantastic ear for feature placements as well.

FANA - Fanatiic

Partnering up with DAYTONA who have definitely taken a different approach to establishing a label, FANA makes a long overdue full-length return with ‘Fanatiic’. One of the most technically proficient emcees in the game, FANA sounds better than ever through ‘Fanatiic’, which features some of the best beats he’s ever rapped on. The production is infectiously groovy with all kinds of catchy instrumental rhythms being thrown in, which serves to further color FANA’s unique brand of rap. FANA at this point has nothing to prove to those well-vetted in Korean hip-hop, but on ‘Fanatiic’ he still raps like he’s the new kid on the block and shows that when it comes to albums, far and few have the ear for production and consistency that he does.

VIVIZ - Beam of Prism

I was in the middle of doing a big write up of my favorite songs of the year but my browser decided to crash and save nothing so here is my list with just some brief thoughts. Hope 2021 wasn’t too harsh to everyone, and hopefully 2022 treats us all better! This is going to be a lot less formal than my usual reviews/roundup posts, I may just do a similar writeup for albums too

15. Huh! - MBT

Essentially Huh!’s take on Bieber/Laroi’s electropop sound; it’s a pretty damn good take to keep it short. Killer hook that leverages Huh!’s tone to great effect

14. Epik High - Rosario (feat. CL & Zico)

Nice to see Epik High bounce back, their last few projects as independent artists again left me pretty unsatisfied. ‘Rosario’ and the album it hails from feels like a solid enough return to form.

13. Glen Check - Dive Baby Dive

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve heard from Glen Check, but ‘Dive Baby, Dive’ makes it worth the wait with what feels like the band finally finding the perfect balance between their wide spreading influences.

12. ENHYPEN - Drunk-Dazed

The stand out boy group release for me this year, ENHYPEN kill it with the dark and moody club banger, ‘Drunk-Dazed’ there’s something intoxicating about the rumbling production and simple, earworm melodies.

11. LIGHTSUM - Vivace

Lightsum’s ‘Vivace’ was just simply a cut above the rest this year when it came to idol releases. ‘Vivace’ is a textbook pop song in the best way possible - meaning that it so deeply understands the fundamentals of a killer pop tune.

10. Khakii - Lost (feat. Moon Sujin)

Khakii interlocks with the beat on ‘Lost’ in an incredibly captivating way. There’s something so effortlessly cool about his breezy delivery in a way that other rappers struggle to capture despite their obvious efforts. Deceptively catchy.

9. Gaeko, Justhis - Cheap Talk (prod. Code Kunst)

A memorable collision course between three of the industry’s most prominent talents thankfully lives up to its potential. Kunst’s production is detailed and moody, and the two rappers essentially put on a masterclass in what it means to be a rapper in its most intrinsic sense.

8. Untell - Human (prod. Will Not Fear)

Untell has always dabbled in interesting sounds, typically under the umbrella of electronica subgenres. ‘Human’ absolutely kills in its brief runtime, the production just rattles you and Untell comes off more viscous than ever.

7. Kid Milli, Dress - Face & Mask (Feat. Ron)

Kid Milli’s artistic renaissance felt like it came with his joint project with producer, Dress on ‘Cliche’ which was fronted by ‘Face & Mask’ (feat. Ron). Milli’s rapping over the multiphasic production is introspective, catchy and technically engaging at the same time.

6. Sokodomo - MM (feat. Jay Park)

This is one of those songs where if you explain it, it sounds like a terrible idea on paper but Sokodomo, Jay Park and Sesame absolutely kill it in ‘MM’ - a wholly unique blend with strokes of punk-rock, electronica and hip-hop - it’s chaos wrapped up perfectly.

5. Giriboy - That’s How We Ended (feat. Seori)

After this, I’d love to see/hear a Giriboy directed musical. There’s a theatricality on here that never feels campy or forced, but instead immersive and engrossing. Giriboy’s performance is so tangibly pained, paired with the eerie production. Seori brings the finishing coating of melancholy to finish.

4. Woodie Gochild - Jackson (feat. Changmo)

This is probably the biggest surprise of the year for me, both single and album-wise. Woodie Gochild stepped up on the ‘tape’ series with H1GHR, and he just flexes his newfound energy with ‘Jackson’. Its hook is insanely catchy, Woodie’s performance is one of his best yet and Changmo also switches it up to great effect too.

3. IU - Lilac

Korea’s sweetheart herself, IU is probably my artist of the year all things considered. ‘Lilac’ is just so unabashedly lovable. IU’s vocal performances have matured so much over the years, and ‘Lilac’ feels like such a perfect example; she carries so much heart, nuance and personality in her small inflections and touches. Production-wise, the retro coating is done lavishly exuding a sense of luxury.

2. Lee Hi - Red Lipstick (feat. Yoon Mirae)

Lee Hi’s signing to AOMG was one of the most satisfying moments this year, and after an arduous wait her followup to ‘Seoulite’ was well worth it. Lead by ‘Red Lipstick’, Lee Hi taps into her higher register to show just how versatile she can be delivering arguably the best synth-pop track this year. Structurally, ‘Red Lipstick’ is perfectly pieced to deliver and balance soaring highs and groovy intermissions. Yoon Mirae also steps in to give one of her most memorable features in recent memory, playing off Lee Hi excellently.

1. AKMU - Nakka (feat. IU)

After an impressive contribution on the ‘Tape’ series with H1GHR, Woodie returns on a solo project that represents a tremendous amount of growth and refinement from his debut EP. 

7.0 out of 10

2018′s ‘#Gochild’ was a serviceable but ultimately faceless record which struggled to justify a place for Woodie Gochild within the scene. Whilst the production was of high-polish, Woodie failed to present himself as anything more than just another autotune crooner in a crowd already full of the same. Stepping up on last year’s ‘Red Tape’ Woodie surprised with a more refined approach to his verses, showing more conscious effort in making his vocal color work with different styles of production. His ability to weave components of rap and melody was often the highlight of ‘Red Tape’ and his growth carries over to his newest project ‘Swoop!’. 

On almost every aspect, Woodie levels up on ‘Swoop!’, his production choices feel so much more deliberate and curated for his own style and energy which he is able to inject so much of in most of the tracklisting. The two opening tracks ‘Sae’ and ‘Bankroll’, while sounding like rollovers from his debut EP, are lifted by Woodie’s newfound charisma and electricity in his verses. He slips between melodic passages and rapping with ease and fluidity in a way that blurs the two styles. Finding ways to stretch and twist his vocals, he breaks free from the notion that he is reliant on autotune and instead ushers in that he is manipulating it. 

The production on ‘Swoop!’ on a surface level doesn’t seem at bright as what was found on ‘#Gochild’ but it says a whole lot more with its more nuanced arrangement choices and textures. The ringing vocal samples on lead single ‘Jackson’ with the bass-heavy beat and dance-infused drum pattern make it irresistibly catchy right from the bat and is easily one of 2021′s strongest singles yet. Woodie flexes his newfound agility over the production dropping a slick verse and one of the catchiest hooks of the year. Channeling Dok2 in his vocal inflections in parts, Changmo’s feature is one of his best of the year as well as he also challenges himself to dabble in styles he has previously not been heard in before. 

‘Swoop!’ is not without some shortcomings however, namely in Woodie’s simplistic approach to song structure. Much of ‘Swoop!’ is admittedly quite rigid in its flow and sequence which sets in some tedium even at its relatively brief runtime of twenty minutes. Following a very static verse-hook structure, it feels like Woodie is leaving a lot of creativity on the table especially when Woodie himself is writing and sounding better than he has ever before on his verses and hooks. ‘Yo-Ho Freestyle’ is the sole exception and its a strong proof of concept that Woodie can carry something more free form with ease. The performance found on ‘Yo-Ho Freestyle’ is easily the best of the record, Woodie exudes confidence and control over the two conjoined beats - building tension on the darker more weighty start before going into a sprint with the beat switch. 

GOT7′s Yugyeom’s signing to the prestigious AOMG allows him the luxury of top class production and features, but his lack of charisma as a soloist keeps ‘Point of View: U’ grounded. 

5.0 out of 10

As GOT7′s time with JYP came to a close, the members were swiftly scooped up by labels of all different scopes and sizes with Yugyeom’s partnership with AOMG perhaps being the most notable. As the first active idol to be signed under South Korea’s premier Hip-Hop/R&B label, Yugyeom has a lot to prove and while ‘Point Of View: U’  is flushed with prime Gray and Cha Cha production and a host of AOMG features, it’s Yugyeom himself that ends up as the weakest link on this project.

With Gray and Cha Cha handling the production on the EP, there’s a sound and degree of polish to be expected, both of which are present on here in spades. Lead single ‘All Your Fault’ is light and tangy with its fluttery guitar licks, buoyant percussion and flawless mixing. ‘Running Through The Rain’ is another highlight with the interplay between the synth leads, touches of guitar and thick bassline - all classic Gray touches packaged up excellently. The features are also perfectly placed and picked, Gray slides on ‘All Your Fault’ like butter stealing the show.

‘Point of View’ is unfortunately held back by its lead act, Yugyeom mainly in his vocal performances, charisma and songwriting. Often very by the beat and static, Yugyeom struggles to string together strong and recognizable melodies on almost all of the tracklisting. It’s incredibly apparent when he is paired with vocal guests like with DeVita on opener, ‘I Want U Around’ where his less than impressive approach to melodies is compared directly against the agility of DeVita who dances over the production like a breeze. Yugyeom’s staccato and syncopated feeling songwriting and performances feel amateurish in the face of his EP’s guests and highlights his infancy as a solo act.

[ALBUM] Blackpink - The Album

4.5 out of 10

The feverishly anticipated debut full-length album for Blackpink is here, but it’s a frustratingly mixed and inconsistent experience that ultimately succumbs to the gargantuan expectations that come with it. Eight songs is rather stingy for a full-length record and when not all eight of said tracks come strong, the record’s deficiencies are accentuated. ‘The Album’ is frustrating in that there are excellent moments where the production and the girls of Blackpink come together for pure pop bliss; title track ‘Lovesick Girls’ is an arena-ready anthem that is lathered in slick vocal performances and earworm melodies. ‘Pretty Savage’ is everything ‘How You Like That’ should’ve been - and it’s baffling that both tracks have made it onto the same record. The production on the Cardi B collaboration ‘Bet You Wanna’ plays like a Maroon 5 throwaway and the hooks on tracks like ‘Crazy Over You’ and ‘Love To Hate Me’ just beg the question of whether this was the best that the creative team could really do. ‘Ice Cream’ is a far superior effort collaboratively and musically, the unresolved tension is twisted and turned in interesting ways wringing the most it can out of it’s seemingly perpetual build-up in its songwirting. ‘The Album’ has its moments, and usually those moments are fantastic but it’s short tracklist and consequently more noticeable stumbles are too great to overlook. Once again, the girls of Blackpink do great performance-wise on most of the tracks on ‘The Album’, but the overall direction, production and writing of it doesn’t quite meet the expectations of a group of Blackpink’s magnitude. 

[ALBUM] Nucksal - 1Q87

7.5 out of 10

H1GHR’s more R&B and pop oriented ‘Blue Tape’ is a much more compelling offering than it’s predecessor thanks to its contagious energy and personality.

7.0 out of 10

With the release of ‘Red Tape’ done and dusted, the H1GHR rollout continues with ‘Blue Tape’. Where ‘Red Tape’ had some strong points, it was a muddy experience overall rife with inconsistent performances and dull production, ‘Blue Tape’ is a much richer experience that interprets its late 90′s and early 2000′s DNA in electrifying ways. With the more pop and R&B influences on ‘Blue Tape’, the more vocal orientated members of the gang deliver some truly spectacular performances that submerge songs in a depth of vibrant colors. 

‘Blue Tape’ shines brightest in its more melodic cuts like ‘Afternoon’, which is easily the record’s highest point. The 90′s R&B influence is fully embraced by Jay and Golden as they thread together some truly smooth and addictive melodies that are aided by some modern touches on the production. pH-1 comes in on the tail end with a sticky verse closing out what has all the potential to be a smash hit. This 90′s and early 2000′s influence extends to a good portion of the project; ‘Gotta Go’ is steeped in a healthy dose of Pharrell/Neptunes worship with its jumpy percussion and aura of breeziness. Sik-K’s coarser delivery is contrasted perfectly by Golden and both Jay and pH-1 drop some effortlessly fly performances to boot. The Cha Cha and Phe Reds lead ‘Swing My Way’ once again exudes its 90′s influence with a fresh coating of 2020 paint in a seamless fashion. 

Most of the roster bring some excellent performances, though Woodie who stole the show on much of ‘Red Tape’, doesn’t quite come as strong on ‘Blue Tape’ despite the more melodic side of things usually being more of his own personal style. pH-1, Golden, Jay and Big Naughty are the stars of ‘Blue Tape’, with their chemistry and talents perfectly encapsulated on the lead single, ‘Oscar’, a warm and lovable pop tune that is stacked with infectious melodies and personable performances. Big Naughty shows some real popstar promise not only on ‘Oscar’, but his solo track ‘Live’, a stripped R&B number that he glides over like silk. 

The production is not quite as consistent however; there some rather barebones moments like on ‘Me&Bae’ where the arrangement and progressions just sound so mild and complacent, failing to conjure up any kind of tangible attitude or personality. In addition to this, Sik-K’s performance on top is mopey and Haon’s singing doesn’t instill much confidence in his ability as a vocalist. ‘Back From 0′ falls under the same umbrella too, the production is washed and stripped of color. The production on Sik-K’s original ‘RSVP’ was mediocre at best at release, and it’s the same here but the performances are enough to elevate it enough to be memorable. 

‘Blue Tape’ is a much more wholesome, and substantial release from H1GHR Music. The production inconsistencies and forgettable performances are far less prevalent on here than its predecessor, ‘Red Tape’. Rich and vibrant 90′s grooves are threaded with modern finishes and backed by some killer performances, making H1GHR’s ‘Blue Tape’ an infectious and deeply charming compilation album that really speaks to the label’s strengths. 

Individual Track Scoring: [Click Keep Reading Below]