Quick Reviews: Nah Youn-sun, Lee Soo-young, Pinodyne, Zion.T, Kwon Soon-kwan, CHEEZE, Taru, Lucia, Cho Yong-pil, Dear Cloud, Kim Bada, 4minute, SHINee, Geeks, and Younha

During the five weeks over which I’ve taken a break from reviews, we’ve seen some major releases make waves. In case you’ve missed some, here’s an even-quicker-than-usual overview of fifteen notable albums from that time period. (Full-length reviews and regular Quick Reviews will return next week.)

Nah Youn-Sun – Lento

Release: March 12, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hub Music/Vitamin Entertainment
Genre: Jazz, blues
Reviewer Rating:

Nah Youn-sun‘s vocals are more charismatic and incisive than ever. The veteran jazz vocalist is a dazzle as she refuses to be outdone by an instrumental supporting cast as intense (Momento Magico) as it is exotic (Soundless Bye). She burns with passion, celebrates in fashion, laments with aridity, and evokes with acidity. There are enough breathtaking moments here to fill an entire discography; taken as a whole, it’s one of the most forceful, deliberate vocal performances in the history of Korean jazz. This eighth album is a spellbound moment and an early candidate for album of the year.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Lento
2. Lament
3. Hurt
4. Empty Dream
5. Momento Magico
6. Soundless Bye
7. Full Circle
8. Ghost Riders in the Sky
9. Waiting
10. Arirang
11. New Dawn

Lee Soo-young – 클래식: 더 리메이크 두번째 (Classic: The Remake, Second)

Release: March 28, 2013
Producer/Distributor: T Entertainment/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Ballad
Reviewer Rating: 

Has it really been nine years since the first one of these? Lee Soo-young returns to pure ballad as she tackles another set of (newer) classics, and she’s as fluent as ever in the language of massive orchestration and gliding melodies. The sequel isn’t quite as good as the original: there are glimpses of ambitious instrumentation (most notably 희재 (Hee-jae) and 인연 (Serendipity)), but the exquisite balance enjoyed by the first Classic: The Remake (2004) is missing here, as is a mold-breaking curve ball like that album’s 누구라도 그러하듯이 (As It Is For Anyone). But while we’re waiting for Lee’s tenth studio release, this tender collection will do nicely.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. 사랑하면 할수록 (The More I Love) – Original by Han Sung-min, 2003
2. 희재 (Hee-jae) - Original by Sung Si-kyung, 2003
3. Donde Voy – Original by Tish Hinosoja, 1999
4. 제3한강교 (Han River Bridge #3) – Original by Hye Eun-yi, 2006
5. 인연 (Serendipity) - Original by Lee Seung-chul, 2004
6. 모처럼 (For Once) - Original by Yoon Jong-shin, 2000
7. 눈의 꽃 (Snowflake) - As remade by Park Hyo-shin, 2004; original by Mika Nakashima, 2003
8. 옛 이야기 (Old Story) – Original by Kim Kyu-min, 1991

Pinodyne – PINOcchio

Release: April 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hi-Lite Records/Genuine Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

Soul Fish and Huckleberry P both have sleek, easy-going styles, but production of the former kind is becoming more common (and even expected) in this scene. The lyricism is what sells this sophomore album, so it’s a great thing that Huck P is thoroughly entertaining. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) puts cheeky metaphor and allusion to satirical use, while 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) has a believably playful dynamic of sexual tension. When the rapper is not being funny, he excels at injecting listeners into a persona. We see from the perspectives of an allegorical Huckleberry Finn; a hitherto-sheltered young adult taking his first step outside; a younger brother who can’t live up to expectations set by his sibling; a single mom fighting for her child; and so on. It’s Huck P’s vivid language that makes these characters come alive and portray a snapshot of our lives.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Chapter 2. 다음 장으로 (To the Next Chapter)
2. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) Part 1 – Featuring Evo
3. 캥거루 (Kangaroo) – Featuring Jerry.K, NuSoul
4. 허클베리 핀의 모험 (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) – Featuring Koonta
5. 오후 2시 (2 P.M.) – Featuring B-Free, Soul One, Paloalto
6. The Lotto
7. 토요일 밤 (Saturday Night) [Skit]
8. 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) – Featuring Kwan, Satbyeol
9. 쓰다 (Bitter) – Featuring Kim Sa-rang
10. 벽 (Wall) – Featuring Ben
11. Re: 허풍쟁이 (Boaster) – Featuring Crucial Star
12. Pain – Featuring Junggigo
13. 고마워서 (Because I’m Thankful) – Featuring Soulman

Zion.T – Red Light

Release: April 9, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Amoeba Culture/Loen Entertainment
Genre: R&B, hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

How do you stop something that’s unstoppable? It’s a legitimate question when it comes to this ridiculously prolific, uniquely gifted vocalist. Zion.T‘s long-awaited debut album meets all the hype and then some; it’s got bold directing, imaginative and polished beats, and freedom of flow without losing focus. Tying it all together is, of course, the man’s golden voice. He wields that inimitable croon like a motor boat, floating and bobbing along for the most part but sometimes steering with gusto. He often switches styles multiple times in the same song, and isn’t afraid to recruit a little electronic help to fill up space. We knew Zion.T had mastered the voice; now it seems like he’s mastering everything else. He’s still just twenty-four, by the way.

Tracklist (recommended tracks in bold)

1. O
2. Doop – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 도도해 (Sassy)
4. She – Featuring Beenzino
5. Neon
6. Babay – Featuring Gaeko of Dynamic Duo
7. 지구온난화 (Global Warming) – Featuring YDG
8. 뻔한 멜로디 (Predictable Melody) – Featuring Crush
9. Doop – Instrumental
10. Neon – Director’s Cut
11. Click Me (2013) – Featuring Dok2

Kwon Soon-kwan – A Door

Release: April 11, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Happy Robot Records/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:

Almost every track on A Door is engaging within the first ten seconds. That’s a testament to the power of Kwon Soon-kwan‘s brilliance with instrumentation. Into a broadly pop-rock base, he brings in brass and strings, staccatos and fuzz. Under Kwon’s direction these become dense, highly complex tracks – for example, note the background activity in Keep Going - that still remain accessible for anyone by way of broadly stroked melodies and efficient layering. This sophistry sets the No Reply vocalist’s solo debut apart from other albums in the genre, and gives him a better stage to what he does just as well: tell fascinatingly evocative stories.

Tracklist (recommended in bold)

1. Home Again
2. 그렇게 웃어줘 (Just Smile Like That)
3. 우연일까요 (Is It Coincidence)
4. Keep Going
5. 건너편 (The Other Side)
6. 긴 여행을 떠나요 (Go On a Long Journey)
7. Tonight
8. 별 (Star)
9. One More Time
10. 변하지 않는 것들 (Things Unchanging)
11. A Door

CHEEZE – Recipe!

Release: April 16, 2013
Producer/Distributor: RealCollabo/CJ E&M
Genre: R&B pop, jazz
Reviewer Rating:

Recipe! is, I imagine, exactly the kind of album that RealCollabo was created for. CHEEZE examines slices of daily lives, ranging from love at first college project to falling asleep while getting over an ex. Vocalist Dalchongi‘s performance is appropriately sweet to accompany the two producers’ muted, sleek pop-ballad beats. The supporting cast (including Winterplay trumpeter Lee Joo-han) is discreet but adds crucially to the album’s quality. Recipe! is delightful through and through.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Intro – Narration by David a.k.a. Kim Sung-won
2. Have A Nice Day
3. 조별과제 (Group Project)
4. 망고 (Mango)
5. 개와 고양이 (Dog and Cat) – Interlude
6. 우리는 네발로 걷지 (We Walk on Four Legs)
7. 이 밤 (Tonight)
8. Sleep
9. 결혼해주오 (Marry Me)
10. 빠빠빠 (Ba ba ba) – Featuring Brothersu
11. From – Featuring RealCollabo
12. 누가 우리 치즈를 옮겼을까 (Who Moved Our Cheese)

Taru – Puzzle

Release: April 17, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Sony Music
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:

Puzzle is decidedly more rock-focused compared to Taru‘s previous works – there’s a modern-rock and alternative undercurrent lasting the duration of the album. As a result, the album gains some of the driving power that was lacking in those older works, but it loses the moments of rawest emotion that 100 Percent Reality (2011) evoked. To me, this is a net loss. 기침 (Cough) does not quite replicate the gut-wrenching impact that 지금이 아니면 (If Not Now) or 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) delivered. If we ignore this, Puzzle has some great moments (mostly in its up-tempo pop-rock variants) amongst a few duds. Encouragingly, she’s still sticking to her motto – making “music that comforts”.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Puzzle
2. Rachel
3. Kiss You
4. My Sun
5. 새벽의 저주 (Curse of the Morning)
6. 기침 (Cough)
7. Carrie
8. 너와 사귀어 주지 말걸 (Shouldn’t Have Dated You)
9. Bad Commenter
10. Ending

Lucia – 꽃그늘 (Flower Shade)

Release: April 18, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pastel Music/Danal
Genre: Ballad, pop
Reviewer Rating:

Lucia doesn’t really seem to do sad songs – melancholy, sure, but not full-on minor-chord sorrow. (Here’s exhibit 1 and exhibit 2.) So it’s surprising to see a somber lead single from her: 그런 계절 (Such a Season) opens with a desolate intro not out of place in a tragic historical drama and builds with Lucia’s characteristically delicate lyrics. Before long, we have an impeccably detailed and aching waltz. Lucia returns to regularly scheduled programming soon enough, but with no true killing track out of those, Such a Season leaves a very lasting impression.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. 사과꽃 (Apple Bloom)
2. 그런 계절 (Such a Season)
3. 실편백나무 (Real Cypress)
4. 5월의 당신은 (You in May)
5. 담담하게 (Serenely)

Cho Yong-pil – Hello

Release: April 23, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pil Records/Universal Music
Genre: Pop, ballad, rock
Reviewer Rating:

There’s not much more I can say about the artist; Cho Yong-pil is hands-down the greatest legend in Korean music, the country’s most famous and most widely respected musician. But for that matter, that’s not much new for me to say about the album, either. As one of the most anticipated albums of the last decade or so, Hello has produced quite a bit of informal literature to go along with explosive popular reactions. Let me say this, then: people are right that Mr. Cho’s 19th studio release is not the kind of masterpiece they were hoping for. Others are also right that his boldness in embracing electronica and pop-rock and his deftness using them are both impressive. Hello is still an excellent album, displaying in many ways the marks of an artist who most definitely knows what he’s doing. I think this album is likely to end up being transitional: a release that shows Cho Yong-pil’s creative juices haven’t gone anywhere and that he can adapt to changes, to be followed up by a 20th album that is the masterpiece that people are waiting for. That’s also the hope.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Bounce
2. Hello – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 걷고 싶다 (Want to Walk)
4. 충전이 필요해 (Need Charging)
5. 서툰 바람 (Clumsy Winds)
6. 말해볼까 (Shall I Say)
7. 널 만나면 (When I Meet You)
8. 어느 날 귀로에서 (One Day on the Way Back Home)
9. 설렘 (Flutter)
10. 그리운 것은 (Things I Miss)

Dear Cloud – Let It Shine

Release: April 24, 2013
Producer/Distributor: MY Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Modern rock
Reviewer Rating:

Let It Shine is not too different from Bright Lights (2011); dreamy guitars, expansive melodies, and Nine9‘s reassuring husky tone all return here. Perhaps there’s a little more shade of post-rock, a little more shoegaze effect, a little more synthesizer. They are welcome additions, giving Dear Cloud’s music all the more scale and exhilaration. It’s not a real ambitious album, but that’s okay - See the Light and U are moving regardless. This band is already used to dreaming big.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. See the Light
2. 12
3. U
4. 하루만큼 강해진 너에게 (To You, Strengthened by a Day)
5. Polaris
6. 그대와 춤추는 밤 (A Night Dancing with You)

Kim Bada – N. Surf Part 1

Release: April 25, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Evermore Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Rock
Reviewer Rating:

As the man himself says, Kim Bada‘s EP is not of his more experimental ilk. It’s not quite like his Art of Parties work, either; N. Surf Part 1 is more mainstream-oriented, embracing electronica, pop-rock, and even a slow-jam ballad. It’s an unexpected turn for the power vocalist, and individual results are pretty impressive. Searching marries industrial and new wave into a heady mold, while 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue) sees Kim subduing his edge and letting the Rhodes timbre fill the space. I think it’s too eclectic to be a cohesive body of work, but this EP manages to endow a 20-year veteran with the perception of limitless potential.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. N. Surf
2. Searching
3. 베인 (Cut)
4. 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue)
5. 베인 (Cut) – Radio Edit

4minute – Name is 4minute

Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Cube Entertainment/Universal Music
Genre: Dance pop
Reviewer Rating:

As much as I seem to rag on the producer, I’ll grant that What’s Your Name? is leaps and bounds better than Brave Brothers’ other lead-single work of late. It’s got more life than Sistar19‘s Gone Not Around Any Longer and Son Dambi‘s Tears Flow put together. It inexplicably throws away all sustained buildup whenever it gets to the chorus, but there’s a good amount of tension elsewhere. That’s keeping in line with 4minute‘s return to aggressive club tune. Whatever allows Hyuna to show off some of the charismatic rapping she’s refined through Melting (2012) while also featuring the EP’s strongest vocal contributions. Gimme That and Domino are also relentless synth baths, which means this is a rare no-ballad release; that’s just as well, since ballads have often turned out to be filler for 4minute. Name is 4minute is loud and flashy – and thankfully, it doesn’t try to hide that.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. What’s My Name?
2. 이름이 뭐예요? (What’s Your Name?)
3. Whatever
4. Gimme That
5. Domino

SHINee – SHINee The 3rd Album Chapter 2. ‘Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me’

Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: SM Entertainment/KMP Holdings
Genre: Dance pop, synthpop
Reviewer Rating: 

The follow-up component of SHINee’s third album is qualitatively on par with its predecessor. Just as in The Misconceptions of You, it’s hard to pinpoint any real weaknesses in either SM Entertainment’s game (flawless instrumental polish and effective sonic devices) or SHINee’s (ability to do anything asked of them and increasingly convincing vocal acting). The Misconceptions of Me is more theatrical, starting with the zombie-themed adrenaline of Why So Serious? to scene-setting Excuse Me Miss, and it’s certainly emotionally darker. That means there’s a bigger onus on the vocalists to deliver more persuasive performances, and everybody – I mean everybody - passes with flying colors. I think this is actually a collection of better songs, if not a better collection of songs, compared to Chapter 1. I see now that throwing these parts together into one album really wouldn’t have worked, although a part of me does want to see an 18-track idol album in the 21st century. It’d be like H.O.T.‘s I Yah! without the talk tracks.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Nightmare
2. Why So Serious?
3. SHINe (Medusa I)
4. 오르골 (Orgel)
5. Dangerous (Medusa II)
6. Like a Fire
7. Excuse Me Miss
8. Evil
9. 떠나지 못해 (Sleepless Night)

Geeks – Backpack

Release: April 29, 2013
Producer/Distributor: WA Entertainment & Grandline Entertainment/KT Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

There’s hip-hop lite and rap ballad galore in Backpack, which doesn’t exactly give Geeks the best genre advantage towards being taken as heavyweights. The duo seems okay with that, though, because they show remarkable focus in making this debut album as friendly and accessible as possible. Wash Away and 집앞에서 (At the Front Door) bring the impact early, but the remainder of Backpack is mostly laid-back production and mellow lyricism. Not a terribly interesting release just yet, but their passion is palpable.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Lights On
2. Wash Away – Featuring Ailee
3. 집앞에서 (전화 받지 마 Part 2) (At the Front Door (Don’t Pick Up the Phone Part 2)) – Featuring Crucial Star
4. It’s Raining (Skit #1) – Song by Stella Jang
5. 비가오네 (It’s Raining) – Featuring Park Su-min
6. Backpack
7. Getting on You – Featuring DJ Dopsh
8. 아마 (Maybe)
9. 어때 (How Are You) – Featuring Harim
10. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space) (Skit #2) – Song by Stella Jang
11. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space)
12. Siren – Featuring Swings
13. Love, Life 그 한가운데서 (In the Midst)
14. 헌신 (Sacrifice)
15. 유언 (Last Words)

Younha – Just Listen

Release: May 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: wealive/CJ E&M
Genre: Ballad, modern rock
Reviewer Rating:

It’s two consecutive bold moves for Younha. Having carved out a modern-rock template for her future in Supersonic, she branches out a little further in this breather of an EP. Three tracks – Fireworks, 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up), and 바다아이 (Ocean Child) – appear to be direct extensions of Supersonic’s atmospheric and driving musical themes, and these are all powerful. The one new trick displayed here, the reggae infusion in Just Listen, offers treats in the form of visceral groove and sophisticated arrangement. The other tracks are more predictable and bog the EP down, but this is another solid addition to a burgeoning discography.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Just Listen – Featuring Skull
2. Fireworks
3. 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up)
4. 봄은 있었다 (There Was Spring)
5. 아니야 (That’s Not It)
6. One Fine Day
7. 바다아이 (Ocean Child)

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the reviewer and not of hellokpop as a whole.

Agree or disagree? Or have a recent release that you’d like to see reviewed? Let us know with your comments below! Requested albums will be considered each week and may be selected to be reviewed in the subsequent week.

Sources: Photos – Daum Music

Album Review: Taru – 100 Percent Reality

Release: June 15, 2011
Distributor: KT Music
Rating: 

Chances are, even if you don’t know who Taru is, you’ve heard her voice before. Since her 2007 debut as the vocalist of electronic-alternative band The Melody, and subsequent transformation into a solo artist, this singer-songwriter’s lithe, delicate voice has been a draw for listeners and an asset for herself. The once-”Goddess of Hong-dae” (referring to the college town around Hong-Ik University in Seoul, a central scene for Korea’s indie musicians) went on to participate in a huge number of commercial songs, while working closely with other indie big-names like Humming Urban Stereo and fellow Pastel Music artist Sentimental Scenery. (In Sentimental Scenery’s newest album, she is featured in the title track as well as in another that was originally a commercial tune.) Even mainstream-focused listeners have probably heard of Epik High‘s 2008 masterpiece 1분 1초 (1 Minute, 1 Second), where Taru sang the well-known chorus.

But sophomore album 100 Percent Reality throws a lot of Taru’s previous images out the window. This is a thematic and genre-wise departure from Taru’s two previous major releases, EP R.A.I.N.B.O.W and studio LP Taru. Everyone knew Taru was a versatile vocalist, but in general she used to stick to electronic pop and shibuya-influenced electronica, with some ballad streaks thrown in. On the other hand, this album, which was written and composed from beginning to end by Taru herself, is much more heavily pop ballad. The focal point of her music seems to have shifted a bit.

An emphasis on ballads means attention to emotions, and Taru proves to be more than deft in this regard. From the heartbreaking, escalating climax of lead single 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) to the steady, soothing mystique of 내 사람 (Mine), the singer covers a very wide spectrum of the genre; her voice audibly adapts and takes on different forms, as moods and instrumentation do the same.지금이 아니면 (If Not Now) is intensely memorable for its gorgeous melody and accompaniment, perhaps the best out of any song released so far this year, as well as the hauntingly evocative lyrics and restrained performance.

Of course, there are also some reminders of the bubbly easy-listening fare from the past. 아이스크림가게, 팬시보이 (Ice Cream Parlor, Fancy Boy) is one such throwback, complete with ear-pleasing atmosphere and an unsuppressed quirk. 이슈 (Issue) is another, and has Taru channeling a little old-school Park Ki-Young in a traditional upbeat alternative track. I’d call 말해줘요 (Tell Me) a third, but this one is a little harder to classify–it marries the obligatory (for a Taru album, that is) social critique track with a ballad soundset of escalating grandeur and scale. (This particular case is reminiscent of Death Cab For Cutie‘s Transatlanticism.) Tell Me actually deserves a lot more scrutiny than I can give it in an album review–it’s a very sophisticated piece of work, where the message is visible but not obvious, impressed upon listeners but not forced. The accompaniments speak volumes as they crescendo and subside; the lyrics are innocent yet poignant and nuanced.

That such tracks emerge is a testament to Taru’s skill as a singer-songwriter. As mentioned, she wrote and composed the entire album by herself (you’ll see the songs credited to a “Kim Min-Young”, which is her real name). While she had some help from fellow Pastel Music labelmates–Epitone Project‘s Cha Se-Jung rearranged Taru’s version of Let’s End It Here to create the featured duet version performed with Zitten‘s Sung Yong-Wook (also from Pastel) and Sentimental Scenery helped arrange Issue–the finished work is fully a product of Taru’s own artistic freedom. Which is how 100 Percent Reality gets its distinguishing characteristics: genuineness and authenticity. This album has very little that feels artificial. No tragic melodies written to force tears, no elements included just to sound cool.

I mentioned the climax to Let’s End It Here earlier. Taru said she wrote the song based on her experiences, and perhaps because of that, there is no forced emotion here. The faint, longing melody is just as visceral as the lyrics are austere. The climax in question, where Taru and Sung repeat a harmony of “잘라내자” (“let’s cut it off”), is the best example: it’s a simple expression, a curt and blunt way to express what’s happening. It’s emphasized again and again, each time more emotional than the last, as the strings and guitar race to a breathless conclusion. There are many such memorable moments throughout 100 Percent Reality; each one is powerful precisely because it’s so real. The album is sometimes a five-minute dramatic epic and sometimes a snapshot of everyday life, but it’s always refreshingly candid.

One thing I found notable: 100 Percent Reality is nominally eleven tracks long, which is sort of on the lower end for a full-fledged studio release, and three of the last four tracks are different arrangements of Let’s End It Here. The “band version” is actually interesting, but the solo version is mostly redundant and the radio edit predictably so. (Not that they shouldn’t be there, but the ordering is a little odd.) But it’s clear that this album is not lacking in effort, lengthy or not.

100 Percent Reality is an achievement, and it’s also a promising sign of things to come. This is likely only one slice of what Taru can show listeners, just like how her first album and the more recent Mr. Destiny were other slices of their own. She’s said before that she does not want to be bound by genre or structure; that’s exactly what happened here. What the future has in store for her motto of “music that comforts” is yet to be seen, but in the meantime, 100 Percent Reality is one of the best albums in recent memory.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Moment In Love
2. 지금이 아니면 (If Not Now)
3. Love Me
4. 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) – Duet with Sung Yong-Wook of Zitten
5. 아이스크림가게, 팬시보이 (Ice Cream Parlor, Fancy Boy)
6. 이슈 (Issue)
7. 말해줘요 (Tell Me)
8. 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) – band version
9. 내 사람 (Mine)
10. 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) – solo version
11. 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) – radio edit

Photo credit: maniadb

Album Review: Sentimental Scenery – Soundscape

Release: April 19, 2011
Distributor: KT Music
Rating:

Being a shibuya-kei artist is potentially exasperating–no matter what you do, you’re probably going to be compared to genre legends. The Free Tempos, the Daishi Dances, even the Nujabeses of the world–they will always be the golden standard, and it’s an uphill battle to distinguish oneself from the pack. So for Sentimental Scenery, arguably the most gifted (and by far the most prolific) shibuya-kei artist in Korea, even accomplishing that feat is half a success. Not only has his previous work satisfied the Korean market’s small demand for this brand of music, but he’s also achieved an expansive scope of diversity and experimentation within the genre. So his first studio album, Soundscape, more than deserves its hype.

There’s a lot to like about Soundscape. For starters, there’s a ton to listen to here. Twelve tracks isn’t exactly extraordinary for a full-fledged release, but each track is crafted with diversity, and more importantly, listening pleasure in mind. The sound is crisp and densely written throughout. Melodies are just as volatile as the moods. Even the trippy album cover is interesting to look at, although it seems like a pretty clear homage to DJ Okawari. Coupled with the album’s level of polish and the rarity of this brand of electronica in Korea, Soundscape does start with a leg up over other albums in interesting qualities.

Instrumental or instrument-driven albums are all judged by the same standard: how effectively does the artist use the tools given to make engaging music without vocals? Sentimental Scenery used to resort to both melodic strength and diversity of instrumentation to accomplish this. In Soundscape, though, he makes a bold change: he leans much more heavily on the strength of melody. There’s a lot of diverse sounds in Soundscape, but not nearly to the level seen in previous works. The majority of this album relies on the familiar electronic soundset of piano, drum machine, and synthesizer, which means the artist must find other, more difficult ways to make these interesting.

If you had any concerns about what that would do to the quality of this album’s tracks, they should be gone after the opening track. Spring Breeze, starring Mizuno Mari (or Mari Mizuno, if you prefer the American ordering), the lead vocal for Japanese fusion band Paris Match, starts with a speedy arpeggio and never slows down. In Scenery’s depiction of this “spring breeze”, the progression of sweeping arpeggio is one component; the slowly revealing string line, another; the punchy beat and interjections of actual birdsong, the icing. Spring Breeze is an intricate construction of these elements and a gorgeous melody, and Mizuno Mari’s slightly auto-tuned, spliced vocal track adds a dimension of the uncanny in a song already brimming with depth. What’s remarkable here isn’t just that Sentimental Scenery is using such austere instrumentation; we’ve heard that from him before, in glimpses. No, the real deal is how much vibrant energy he is able to extract with that instrumentation. Spring Breeze is extremely kinetic–it’s always got a sense of movement and speed, and that arpeggio keeps the music afloat even when the beat is absent. As it turns out, the artist makes that kinetic energy a recurring theme.

Heavenly Sky, performed with Shim Gyu-Sun‘s vocals, takes a similarly techno-bouncy beat and ties it together with similar instrumentation as Spring Breeze–the combo of piano and string. Piano work has often been Sentimental Scenery’s most recognizable trait, and it’s as creative and intricate as always throughout this album. A pair of tracks performed with electronica vocalist Taru, Brand New Day and Blingbling, again follow a similar formula, albeit with heavier focus on electronica. Heavenly Sky and Brand New Day are both driven by Scenery’s trademark speedy, spliced piano; while Heavenly Sky is very chorus- and vocal-focused, Brand New Day, which also happens to be the album’s lead single, utilizes the reverse beat extensively, and is technically more intricate. Blingbling, which was released as its own single before, cuts back somewhat on the piano and opts instead for an accompaniment of dreamy, fuzzy synthesizer. And finally, Glory Days, which is the only track in the album where the artist himself sings, borrows pages from Owl City in its slowly building, ambient melody. These four tracks form the core of the easy-listening, piano-electronic block of Soundscape.

The culmination of this approach to style probably lies in second track Tune of Stars. It’s a balance of the various extremes described above. Tune of Stars undoubtedly has the strongest melody of them all; the extremely long chorus would otherwise have fallen apart, but it sounds good enough to go on continually for about a quarter of the entire track. The melody oscillates steadily between a peak and trough, and so it becomes a very loop-able chorus. The instrumentation combines elements from Heavenly Sky as well as Spring Breeze and the Taru tracks, and does a good job of being just ambient enough to be a good accompaniment while shining on its own in places. Featured vocalist Hee Young‘s performance could actually use a little less double-track, but it’s a good compliment to the song as it is.

But what is perhaps the best vocal-extant track in this album actually takes a different approach. Mizuno Mari again lends her voice for Moonlight, and Sentimental Scenery again tries to capture the essence of a tangible piece of nature in music with a quiet, poignant piano line and a dramatic yet dreamy string combination. This track is much more “traditional” as far as the shibuya-kei style is concerned: it’s moody, with a jazzy groove to pave the way for a flowing vocal track. There’s no Brand New Day-esque syncopation going on, but it’s by far the most sophisticated-sounding of the bunch–the ever-so-subtle touches, like the tone-adjusting of minor piano notes and almost inaudible sprinklings of electronic garnish, are welcome pleasantries. Mizuno Mari’s collected performance again ties up the package, and the track manages to elevate itself above a number of very strong tracks.

So far, so good. Those tracks tell only half the story, though. Five of the twelve tracks here are pure instrumentals: each is exhilarating. Childhood takes some very basic accompaniment (the base piano line is the same one-chord, eighth-note accompaniment you learn as a beginning pianist) and opens it up into a sophisticated, nostalgic track, while Ashes of Love goes in the unexpected direction of a straightforward, solitary ballad instrumental. Lost Paradise, the most heavily electronic track of the album, unleashes a liberal storm of phaser and synthesizer along with a ponderous melody and cryptic murmurs.

The crown jewel of this entire album, though, is the eponymous Soundscape. It’s probably the slowest and most acoustic track here, but it’s all the more remarkable for it. The track opens with a soothing austerity of piano, violin, and snare, and slowly builds up layer by layer; the process is fascinating to listen to, as the melody takes a sudden turn, suspenseful drums and cymbal kick in, the piano speeds up, and strings whip up a torrent of emotion. It’s done in a very methodical, carefully calculated manner. And it’s effective: the all-too-short, raging storm of sounds in the climax is some of the most spectacular, breathtaking music that I’ve ever heard.

Finally, the album is wrapped up by the jarringly disparate Finale. The grim melody conveys a sense of scale similar to Soundscape, but manages to also get some of the electronica soundset in as well. The grandiose outro is fitting, leaving listeners hanging high on suspense after the ups-and-downs of the album proper.

If you’ve read up to here, you’ll notice that I actually discussed every single track of  the album. I don’t usually do this, but Soundscape necessitates it–this is an album where every track is crucial to the overall flow, crucial to the discussion of the album as a whole (more on that later). It’s clear that a lot of thought went into selecting the specific songs and order of Soundscape; for such a packed album, it’s a surprisingly natural listening experience from beginning to end. There’s a minor qualm in this department though, as the album could actually have used a couple more grounded songs; there’s nothing in here that has the grave impact of Lunar Eclipse or the suppressed emotion of Time After Time. Fundamentally, though, this would be a critique of the range of sounds used in the album, so it is understandable that Sentimentary Scenery may have avoided such tracks on purpose.

Soundscape also lacks any semblance of a “kill track”. Brand New Day is the lead single, but it’s eclipsed by some of the other tracks here. Those would include Tune of Stars and Moonlight, among others, but none quite have the impact that an album-defining track should have. The instrumental Soundscape, while plenty impactful, is too much of a departure from the rest of the album to be representative. This has a couple implications. Without a singular impact track like his previous Harp Song, it’s harder to identify the personality of Soundscape. At the same time, this is what makes it ever more important to analyze every aspect of the album: without a distillation of its personality, we have no choice but to take the entire album in at once.

Is that a good thing? Frankly, at this point I don’t know. Soundscape works like a kaleidoscope: listening to it gives you a picture of an array of diverse colors and moods. There are some similarities in melody and methodology that tie certain tracks together, but on the whole it doesn’t ever quite come together. And that’s even in light of the fact that Soundscape doesn’t encompass as wide a range of genres as previous collection Sentimentalism, not to mention the artist’s singles. That’s not necessarily bad, and it certainly leaves the album in intriguing territory.

In that respect, Soundscape is similar to Second Moon‘s monumental magnum opus from 2005, 두번째 달 (Dubonchae Dal, which means Second Moon). That album was also primarily instrumental (although not at all electronic), and branched out to a huge variety of genres and themes that didn’t seem to ever come together. It took a little while, but Dubonchae Dal is now considered among the greatest albums in Korean music history. Being similar in its construction, will Soundscape follow in its footsteps? I don’t think quite that highly of this album, but it’s still difficult to imagine how it will pan out in the future, or how it will sound when we listen to it years from now. It’s a matter left best to time.

As we see, some things about Soundscape are absolute enigmas. Very much of this album’s significance will depend on Sentimental Scenery’s future work. But let’s get back to the concrete stuff. Here’s what I can say with confidence: Soundscape is a work of extraordinary imagination and execution. It is one of the best shibuya/electronica albums that Korea’s ever seen, perhaps surpassing the works of Clazziquai Project and 015B. It is far and away the album of the year for 2011 so far. That should be enough for now, but this is an album that definitely needs to be revisited after years. Coincidentally, those often turn out to be the best kind there is.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Spring Breeze – Featuring Mizuno Mari of Paris Match
2. Tune of Stars – Featuring Hee Young
3. Childhood
4. Brand New Day – Featuring Taru
5. Glory Days
6. Heavenly Sky – Featuring Shim Gyu-Sun
7. Soundscape
8. Blingbling – Featuring Taru
9. Ashes of Love (Original Version)
10. Lost Paradise
11. Moonlight – Featuring Mizuno Mari of Paris Match
12. Finale

Album reviews reflect the opinions of the writer and not Hellokpop as a whole.

Photo credit: maniadb