2012 In Review: Part 9 – Best Collaborative Work

[2012 In Review Series]

0. Prelude – Best Album Art
1. Introduction
2. Best R&B/Soul
3. Best Rock/Alternative
4. Best Rap/Hip-hop
5. Best Dance/Electronica
6. Best Pop/Ballad
7. Best Crossover/Miscellaneous
8. Best Original Soundtrack
9. Best Collaborative Work
10. Label of the Year
11. Rookie of the Year
12. Song of the Year
13. Artist of the Year
14. Album of the Year
15. Concluding Remarks

Welcome back to our 2012 In Review series! Today we go above the distinction of genres to recognize the best works of a collaborative nature. My rule of thumb for this category goes like this: not only must a selected album or song sound good, but it also needs to display a kind of synergy effect that makes the work equal more than the sum of its parts. It doesn’t always have to mean that the synergy was unexpected, but the act of collaboration has to bring more to the table than simply another voice or instrument to change things up. This tends to be a category dominated by hip-hop musicians, but this year’s picks are relatively well-distributed across genres.

I tend to discount producer-singer collaborations for this category - Sweetune worked with Kara and Infinite on some good tracks, for example, but that’s not really in the spirit of this. (Otherwise we’d be counting everything.) I will count these types of collaborations under two circumstances: either the composer is normally not a producer by trade, or he/she is actually the primary artist.

Many of the works below have been featured already in the genre categories, so we’re skipping the one-liner descriptions for honorable mentions today. And as always, honorable mention picks are sorted by alphabetical order of artist names.

Albums

Best Collaborative Album 2012

Poetree – 사랑해, 희망없이 (Love, Hopelessly)

Collaborators: Rooftop Moonlight, ALi, Hwayobi, Jung-yup, Park Ji-hye, Jooey, Chiyu

If I didn’t know any of the collaborating artists and you told me that they were all just different vocalists for one big group, I may have believed you. The Poetree duo has a well-defined style – mellow pop-ballad with traces of R&B and soul sprinkled in – and as such, the texture of their compositions is pretty consistent. The hard part is finding vocalists that can maximize the impact of each track. Credit them for that: selecting Hwayobi and her husky tone for the old-school groove of Sunday of My Life was brilliant, as was taking Park Ji-hye’s slightly burnt-out but amiable voice for 근.자.감 (Baseless Confidence). One good decision becomes eight, and the transitions between them are seamless. It’s a tall task to make a ballad collaboration this cohesive, and Love, Hopelessly was one of the very few that worked out.

Runner-up Collaborative Album 2012

Clazzi – Infant (also selected Honorable Mention Dance/Electronica Album) (read our review)

Collaborators: Whale of W&Whale, Yi Sung-yol, MYK, Jinsil of Mad Soul Child, Hyun-song & Su-ryun of The Koxx, Christina, Im Seulong of 2AM, Kim Wan-sun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Jo Hyuna of Urban Zakapa, Kota & Jubi of Sunny Hill

Even in my original review (the rating to which I’d add another star, now), I noted the strength of the collaborations. Most striking is the unexpectedness of some of these appearances; I would never have expected Yi Sung-yol to appear in a bubbly house track, let alone handle it that well. His reassuring voice is the anchor that holds the track down. And while Jinsil wouldn’t have been as much of a leap of imagination, the way in which her vocals are used – essentially lithe, washed-out chorus backing – took me by surprise. Further, DJ Clazzi isn’t afraid to adapt his style to fit his guests’. 40 Nights absorbs The Koxx’s electro-garage, while Can Only Feel appears to be written with Kim’s voice in mind. While the tracks don’t quite come together nearly as cohesively in this one, the depth and breadth of Clazzi’s experimentation gets this album high marks.

Honorable Mentions

Born Kim – Future Color (read our review)

Collaborators: Rang Show of Black Tea, The Solutions, Crucial Star, Jolly V, Dok2, Lee Won-suk of Daybreak, Nuck of Souldive, Pento

Eluphant – Apollo

Collaborators: Kim Phil, Bumkey, Jung-in, Simple J, Jooyoung, Ra.D

J-Tong – 모히칸과 맨발 (Mohawk and Bare Feet) (also selected Runner-up Rap/Hip-hop Album) (read our review)

Collaborators: No Brain, Lowdown 30, Simon Dominic of Supreme Team, Beenzino, Zion.T

Lee Seung-gi – 숲 (Forest) (read our review)

Collaborator: Epitone Project (Cha Se-jung)

Leessang – Unplugged (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Album)

Collaborators: Yoon Do-hyun of YB, Jung-in, Jo Hyuna of Urban Zakapa, Simon Dominic of Supreme Team, Bobby Kim and Juvie Train of Buga Kingz

Primary – Primary and the Messengers LP (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Album) (read our review)

Collaborators: Simon Dominic and E-Sens of Supreme Team, Yankie, Mellow, Jinsil of Mad Soul Child, Gary of Leessang, Garion, Zion.T, Beenzino, Bumkey, Paloalto, Gaeko and Choiza of Dynamic Duo, Jinbo, Dok2, Deez, Rhythm Power, Jay Park, Double K, G.O. of MBLAQ, Junggigo, Dead’P

Son Sue-kyung – I Am (also selected Honorable Mention Crossover/Miscellaneous Album) (read our review)

Collaborators: Dynamic Duo, K.ing, Jung Tae-chun, Yoon Do-hyun of YB, Phantom, Jang Hyo-suk, Son Seung-yeon, Yu Sung-eun, Woo Hye-mi, Ji Se-hi

Soriheda – Soriheda 2 (also selected Best Rap/Hip-hop Album) (read our review)

Collaborators: Rhyme-A-, DJ Wegun, R-Est, Kaedemelodii, Dead’P, Kang Sun-ah, B-Free, Marina Zettl, Paloalto, Okasian, Huckleberry P, Satbyeol, Hwaji, Born Kim, Soulman, Minos, Soulfish, Suda, Deepflow, Jolly V

Songs

Best Collaborative Song 2012

J-Tong – 개판 (Clusterf*ck) (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Song) (actual version here)

Collaborators: No Brain

The above video is not the version I’m talking about. I refer to the shiny new 2012 album edition, which you can listen to from that link, but it’s actually useful to compare the two versions. As you can see, J-Tong’s original had plenty of energy with that electric riff and cadence, and especially with the rapper’s characteristically charismatic flow. And then you listen to the newer version… and “plenty of energy” nothing, this is a veritable explosion of energy. No Brain’s instrumentals put a thick coat of power on the original riff, and add an especially punchy device in the deliberate, cymbal-heavy drum play. No Brain vocalist Lee Sung-woo also brings a hook with him: his higher-tone shouting endows a further taste of punk to complement J-Tong’s growl-infused rapping. This is a zany song, crafted by some of Korea’s most indefatigable musicians and resulting in more kinetic vigor than either team could have achieved alone. It’s the very embodiment of what this category represents.

Runner-up Collaborative Song 2012

Kim Jin-pyo (JP) – 아저씨 (Ahjusshi) (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Song) (read our related review)

Collaborators: J Rabbit

This is one of those cases where I can just quote myself and have it work out. (Love it when that happens.) “It’s about a girl in her teens or maybe 20s falling in love with a much older guy, who adamantly resists the relationship. The presentation is not only tasteful, but positively irresistible. Entertaining lyricism… and the back-and-forth dynamic between narrators show what JP’s music can be when everything goes right. Additional credit is due to J Rabbit; Jung Hye-sun’s ungarnished, sweet performance is picture-perfect for the song. This is a magnificent piece of pop.” Even in hindsight, JP could hardly have picked better artists to portray the eagerness of a young girl in love. His own depiction of the flustered old guy is humorous but spot-on. They each complement what the other does not have, and Ahjusshi turns out as one of the year’s best love songs (so to say).

Honorable Mentions

Bae Sun-yong – The Lady of Seba (Featuring Park Ju-won) (also selected Honorable Mention Crossover/Miscellaneous Song)
Bulhandang – 한 길을 걸어가라 (Walk One Path) (Starring Keeproots, P-Type, Rhyme-A-, Wimpy, Minos, Daephal, Sean2Slow, Garion) (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Song)
Choi Baek-ho – 뛰어 (Run) (Featuring Park Ju-won, Malo) (also selected Honorable Mention Pop/Ballad Song)
Double K & Loco – Home (Featuring Jinsil of Mad Soul Child) (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Song)
D-Story – 부탁이야 (Please) (Featuring Hyun-joong of M.A.C., Xena)
Ga-in – 시선 (Gaze) (Featuring Yoon Jong-shin) (read our related review)
Goodmorning Heaven – Goodmorning Heaven (Starring Lee Sang-mi of Ex, Jung Yu-jong of Daybreak, Park Soon-chul of Oh Ji-eun and the Wolves, Jo Jun-yong, Lee Myung-joon; featuring Harim)
Grand Mint Band – So Nice (GMF 2012 Version) (Main sessions: Kim Sun-il, Kim Jang-wun, Jung Yu-jong of Daybreak, Yu Jung-kyun, Jang Dong-jin, Jung Su-wan of Serengeti, Lee Su-ryun of The Koxx, Kang Min-suk, Im Young-jo, Kim Dong-hyun, Kim Myung-gi, Jo Jung-hyun, Kim Sung-hwan, Kim Hye-bin, Lee Da-hye; featuring Ko Young-bae of Soran, Kwon Jung-yeol of 10cm, Kim Hyuna of Lalasweet, Oh Ji-eun, Sweet Sorrow, Thomas Cook, Lucia). As an aside, I’m fairly certain that 26 people credited in one song is a 2012 record.
Lena Park (Park Jung-hyun) – You Don’t Know Me (Featuring eAeon) (read our related review)
MC Sniper – 할 수 있어 (I Can Do It) Song Version (Featuring Yiruma, Kim Ji-soo) (read our related review)
Nam Soo-rim – Drive Me To The Moon (Featuring Park Ji-yoon) (read our related review)
Oh Soo-min & Rex.D Project – 어색한 인사 (Hello)
Park Ji-yoon – 소리 (Sound) (Featuring Park Asher)
Park Myung-soo & Jung-yup – 꿈이었을까 (Endless Dream)
Siberian Husky – Real Sound (Featuring Lee Sung-soo of HarryBigButton)
Skull & Haha – 부산 바캉스 (Busan Vacance)
Soran & Kwon Jung-yeol of 10cm – 미쳤나봐 (Maybe Crazy)
Soul Fish – What We Do (Featuring Okasian, GLV, Paloalto, B-Free, EVO) (also selected Honorable Mention Rap/Hip-hop Song)
Sunghoon – Ma Boo (Featuring San E)
Wanted – Like You (Featuring IU)

What do your picks look like for this category? Discuss with us in the comments, and join us tomorrow in Part 10 as we recognize labels that had the biggest years!

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

Sources: Photos – Covers from Bugs Music, Daum Music; featured image from Nate

2012 In Review: Part 7 – Best Crossover/Miscellaneous

[2012 In Review Series]

0. Prelude – Best Album Art
1. Introduction
2. Best R&B/Soul
3. Best Rock/Alternative
4. Best Rap/Hip-hop
5. Best Dance/Electronica
6. Best Pop/Ballad
7. Best Crossover/Miscellaneous
8. Best Original Soundtrack
9. Best Collaborative Work
10. Label of the Year
11. Rookie of the Year
12. Song of the Year
13. Artist of the Year
14. Album of the Year
15. Concluding Remarks

Welcome back to our 2012 In Review series! Today, we look at the “best of the rest” (without the negative connotations of that phrase) – in short, everything not covered over the past five days. There’s some jazz here, as well as opera, ethnic, gypsy, acid, gospel, reggae, string performance, and more. This is always a fun category to pick for simply because of the sheer diversity, but keep in mind that for this very reason, simple comparisons between works are often impossible or unreasonable. So take these picks with a bigger grain of salt than usual.

Again, please remember that the Album of the Year and Song of the Year (and their runner-ups) are not included in the genre categories. That means that there could be a crossover (or any other genre) album that isn’t being honored on this page because it’s the album of the year. As always, honorable mention picks are sorted by alphabetical order of artist names.

Note: Two albums in that would fall into this category and likely be nominated – Kumapark‘s self-titled album and Han Ji-yeon‘s Ascetic – are not included, as I was unable to review them in time.

Albums

Best Crossover/Miscellaneous Album 2012

Jambinai – 차연 (Différance)

For all our pursuit for something new – how often do you really see something truly revolutionary? A sound you’ve never heard before? True outside-the-box thinking is rare, which is why we hold new sounds in such high esteem. Jambinai is one of the few bands this year to do this. You see, their niche is a crossover between Korean traditional music with heavy metal. It’s an intriguing concept from the get-go, but words don’t do much justice. This sound has to be heard to be believed. Jambinai doesn’t just, say, replace guitars with geomungo and call it a day. Their compositions are built from the ground up with this fusion style in mind, creating unique motifs and moods that cannot be achieved otherwise. The chaotic whirlpool of geomungo and screeching haegeum near the end of each act of 바라밀다 (Cross the Hill Yonder) are more disorienting and madly apocalyptic than your regular effecter-based post-rock riff; using haegeum allows the band to control multiple parallel melody lines at once, as seen in the lengthy solo that takes up most of 구원의 손길 (Hand of Salvation). Outside of the metal-inspired sounds, ambitious tracks like 10-minute ambient epic Connection help reveal just how many future paths are open for this style to explore. For its originality as well as its endless potential, Différance is one of the most valuable gains of 2012.

Runner-up Crossover/Miscellaneous Album 2012

Sentimental Scenery – There Is Nowhere Else in the World (read our review)

When an artist puts out something as great as 2011′s Soundscape, I’d fully expect him to take a break and recharge; Sentimental Scenery instead went and arguably outdid himself with this winter-themed collage. Eschewing all vocals (both his own and his usually numerous guests’) and lyrics, he sets his sights on describing the psychology of winter. He identifies some feelings that we associate with the season – hope, renewal, anticipation – and brings it to stirring life in tracks like View and Genesis. Even though he forgoes his usual synthetic sound arsenal, he evokes quaint imagery and dreamy abstraction with deft handling of analogs and acoustics. The finished work is a dazzle from beginning to end, and proof that what makes this artist special is his, well, sentimentality, not his toolset.

Honorable Mentions

5 Days Market Project – 5 Days Market Project (1st)

No matter who’s at the mic – Collie, Hulsey, Jones, or Yoo - this album always regresses back to the peace of Jeju.

Bae Sun-yong – Bugler’s Holiday

Unafraid to venture outside the predictable, this trumpeter achieves some exhilarating crossover moments.

Crystal Rain – Romantic Blue

Their brand of acid sometimes burns, but oftentimes it’s a sting followed by a gentle caress.

Handsome People – Are You Handsome? (read our review)

The fourth (and last, I promise) album that I missed on this year. An unwieldy hybrid genre is tamed under their direction.

Park Ju-won – Gypsy Christmas (read our review)

Brilliant, imaginative reinterpretations of familiar carols.

SAZA Choi Woo-jun – SAZA’s Blues

Is it blues or is it the oldie style of ppong-chak? Both, but this talented guitarist has a better answer: it’s his.

Son Sue-kyung – I Am (read our review)

The Britain’s Got Talent finalist’s debut finds a nice place between technicality and accessibility.

Yoo Da-hye – Cello Grapia

Rich but lean bossa nova overtones give lively resonance to this jazz cellist’s debut.

Songs

Best Crossover/Miscellaneous Song 2012

Sohyang – Jesus (read our related review)

It’s a more common sentiment among these more obscure genres, but I’m still taken aback when heavily ethnic music is achieved with this kind of fidelity by a Korean artist. Sohyang and her gem of a voice takes to black gospel in Jesus, and nearly perfectly captures the infectious energy and inexorable groove innate to the genre. From a simple, visceral enjoyment perspective, Jesus is a highly engaging listen. Bold melody and electric atmosphere are sustained effectively, and Sohyang displays some showmanship in her rousing refrain. The attention to detail, such as the complex piano rhythm and slightly divergent chorus backing, show that Sohyang and the POS team are serious about quality – not only in reproducing the choir-gospel sound, but also in smoothly making the transition to the Korean language and to Sohyang’s style. They’ve succeeded, and Jesus is one of the year’s most overlooked great singles.

Runner-up Crossover/Miscellaneous Song 2012

Jambinai – 소멸의 시간 (Time of Extinction)

Hear this: Time of Extinction is actually one of Différance’s less experimental tracks. No, that doesn’t mean much, but what I’m trying to say is that it adopts the methodology of extant metal music fairly straightforwardly. It’s built around a compelling riff (with these instruments, I half feel like I should call it an ostinato), kicked off by geomungo - acting as a bass guitar stand-in – and then coated with guitars. It’s powered by regular drums. A multi-dimensional input from the versatile haegeum is new, but unlike the rest of the album, this is a song that could probably be played with familiar instruments and still sound decent. That said, listen to the last third of the song, when stuff suddenly starts blowing up and the guitars and haegeum strings go on controlled rampages. Feel the unstructured mayhem. Try to make sense of it. This is when you realize: experimental or traditional actually has no meaning for this band. Either way, their sound is unparalleled.

Honorable Mentions

2nd Moon – 그동안 뭐하고 지냈니? (What Have You Been Doing Since?). It’s been seven long years since they released one of my all-time favorite albums, but 2nd Moon’s comeback is as technically intricate and exhilarating as ever.
Bae Sun-yong – Holiday. [No studio version on YouTube] Clearly, Bae doesn’t always have to be the centerpiece.
Bae Sun-yong – The Lady of Seba. [No studio version on YouTube] Park Ju-won’s dazzling play stands complement to Bae’s performance.
Crystal Rain – Super Star. Soft, bubbly acid that will put a spring in your step.
Deviant – 즉홍곡 (Improvisation). This was never meant to be a standalone – it’s a beat for a rapper to flow on in the future. I’d say it sounds fine without, too.
Hae Won – You Are My Sunshine. Luxurious vocals and smooth jazz? Yeah, that will usually get the job done.
Hido – The Creative Process. Has a slight unfinished feel to it – especially the length – but in a vintage-minded track, that’s a bonus.
Jung Jae-il – Revealed. As one component of a cryptic concept album, the track is hard to figure out, but its theater origins are apparent.
Jung Kyoung – La Danza. Passion incarnated in dance… incarnated in opera.
Sagitta – 말하지 마 (Don’t Tell Me). There’s something magnetic about Lee Jung-eun’s flat-tuned performance.
SAZA Choi Woo-jun – Blue Gonna Blue. The drawl spawns a few “excuse me?” moments, but it’s surprising how quickly one gets used to it.
Sentimental Scenery – View. Overwhelming awe and a spring of hope.
Son Sue-kyung – Chaos. [No studio version on YouTube] The mainstream crossovers are great, but her violin work really thrives when it’s doing all the talking.
Skull – 쓰레기 (Garbage) (Featuring Rooftop Moonlight). His second consecutive selection to this category, this time a little lighter on the drama.
Super Brass – Hurry Honey. [No studio version on YouTube] Frankly, the best way to characterize the performances here is, as my friend described it, “haters please”.
Sweet Sorrow – Viva! (Featuring Lee Sora). There’s a lot of meaning packed into that exclamation of “viva”, but they don’t let themselves be burdened.
Windy City – 모십니다 (Full Greeting). They may be closer than anybody to a full integration of reggae and Korean tradition.
Wine Loop – 중독 (Addiction). [No studio version on YouTube] Cold, sensual, yet desperate.
Yoo Da-hye – Capoeirista. Yoo spends a lot of time silently, but her performance is mesmerizing when cello’s in the forefront.

What do your picks look like for this category? Discuss with us in the comments, and join us tomorrow in Part 8 for a look at the year in soundtracks!

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

Sources: Photos – Covers from Bugs Music, Daum Music; feature photo is a capture from YouTube

Hwayobi, the R&B Queen is back with a new album ‘I Am’

The R&B Queen, Hwayobi, is back with the album I Am.

It’s a new mini album within a year since the album Reborn. The mini album I Am is produced by the singer songwriter and the 12-year anniversary artist, Hwayobi. She creates each song to express the title of the album I Am.

The title song I’m Dangerous (나는 위험해) is made with Hwayobi’s emotional lyrics, unique rhythm with an interesting piano melody line to express the emotions. She has included 4 R&B songs in the new mini album that she produced which she is getting attention for.

Here are the short introductions to each song (translated from Naver Music)

1. I’m Dangerous (나는 위험해)

Composed by Hwayobi/Lyrics by Hwayobi/Arranged by Copykumo, Choi Jaeyong

The album’s title song has an addictive tune with a British pop feeling, it’s an uncommon beat yet still rings the hearts of the public with a matching melody line and curious tune. Like the title, it’s a situation where one has to handle love and hatred at the same time.

2. I Like It (난 좋아)

Composed by Hwayobi/Lyrics by Hwayobi/Arranged by Copykumo

I Like It sends out a strong message that the end of liking is love. With a heavy but concise baseline with drums, it makes the heart flutter. The neo soul feel with great ad-libs here and that is the charm of the song.

3. I Live Like This (난 이렇게 살아)

Composed by Hwayobi/Lyrics by Hwayobi/Arranged by Hong Jisang

The guitar intro sound raises the anticipation of the song and is the song that most relates to the title of the album I Am. The song is about a woman who has a hard time accepting the fact that she broke up. The song shows her heart with a medium tempo song with emotional lyrics.

4. What Makes Me Crazy (나를 미치게 하는 것)

Composed by Hwayobi/Lyrics by Hwayobi/Arranged by Copykumo, Choi Jaeyong

This song is collaboarated with illinit who was also part of her last album’s song XOXO. With a soft tone melody, this song shows the heart of a man and woman talking of love. Listening to the song with eyes closed is the point of this song, and the climax is the fast beat with acoustic tunes.

Source: news-Naver Music, photo-Naver blog, video-BubbleFeetPandaCH1 (1, 2, 3, 4)

Quick Reviews: Kim Sat-byeol, Slow 6, and Son Sue-kyung

Kim Sat-byeol – 운동 (Exercise)

Release: August 16, 2012
Distributor: Feel Entertainment
Genre: Indie pop, ballad
Rating:

Exercise is a debut album produced with social funding, so it’s not exactly a big-budget project. It is a tremendous credit to Kim Sat-byeol that you wouldn’t be able to tell that right away. There is real quality here in both songwriting and sound fidelity. Exercise’s ballads – 바람필게 (Going To Cheat) and 4분만 울게 (I’ll Cry For Just Four Minutes) are standouts – are austere, often set only to tender piano and programmed string, but Kim’s airy voice and calm melody unload plenty of emotion. The sounds in uptempo and experimental tracks rely more on electronics, and amidst the merely-adequate selections, there are gems like the ambient-acoustic explosion of 우주여행 (Space Ride). The sometimes quirky, sometimes somber, and always incisively creative lyrics lift Exercise from “laudably close reproduction of big-name pop” to “laudably unique pop”, not least in its highly entertaining, titular lead single. It’s a promising, if not filling, debut effort.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. 운동 (Exercise)
2. 2012 (기정이에게) (To Ki-jung)
3. 막춤 (Freeform Dance)
4. 바람 맞다 (To Get Blown Off)
5. 바람필게 (Going To Cheat)
6. 우주여행 (Space Ride)
7. 라디오를 켠다 (심야식당) (Turn On The Radio (Late Night Restaurant))
8. 언제 어른이 될까 (When Will I Become An Adult)
9. 4분만 울게 (I’ll Cry For Just Four Minutes)

Slow 6 – Somewhere

Release: August 22, 2012
Distributor: Danal Entertainment
Genre: Indie pop, acoustic
Rating:

There are few hard edges within Somewhere. Slow 6‘s (pronounced “Slow June”) third studio album in eight years is filled with mellow ukulele and almost-whispered vocals and tracks that flow right into each other. It is also hopelessly romantic. Slow 6 sings of giddy young love (Aloha), a late seaside conversation with a familiar yet heart-fluttering partner (Jamboree), an ambiguously literal and figurative walk down memory lane (Norway), and a lighthearted, petulant jealousy for seemingly abundant love in the air (Ode To Dating). And this barely scratches the surface of Slow 6′s richly sketched stories.

For all that, a lot is left unsaid. The album’s ‘plot’ is open-ended, with plenty of in-the-moment consciousnesses and abstractions to leave things up for interpretation. And neither Slow 6′s voice nor the instrumentation steps up to claim the substantial space left empty by the other. Even the album’s title is ambiguous. But I think this is for the best; these things help make Somewhere steady instead of up-and-down, continuous instead of choppy, timeless instead of transient. They make the amaranthine nature of this (uncharacteristically stale) lyric from 그대와 왈츠를 (Waltz With You) seem happily real: “Our story, which won’t ever end // I’ll become a song for you, a heart full of joy // Though time may pass // My heart, with you forever”.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Aloha
2. Baby It’s You
3. Jamboree
4. It’s All Right
5. 4월 이야기 (April Story)
6. Norway
7. Bambi
8. 그대와 왈츠를 (Waltz With You)
9. 연애찬가 (Ode  To Dating)
10. April – Featuring Yeonjin of Linus’ Blanket
11. Baby It’s You (Reprise)
12. 그대와 왈츠를 (Waltz With You) – Instrumental
13. Norway (Reprise)

Son Sue-kyung – I Am

Release: August 27, 2012
Distributor: Universal Music Korea
Genre: Crossover, instrumental
Rating:

Having no technical expertise with the violin, I can’t tell you certain things about electric violinist Son Sue-kyung‘s debut album. I can’t tell you whether the Britain’s Got Talent Series 3 semifinalist, who turned heads last year with a single plus guest appearances in I Am A Singer among others, is playing at an extremely high level. I can’t tell you how difficult her compositions are, how proficiently she handles things, or how impressed you should be at her technique.

I can, however, tell you that I Am covers an impressive array of styles, even for a crossover album. I can tell you that some really impressive names were involved with it - Jung Tae-chun being the most surprising example. I can tell you that Son’s performance is more than evocative enough, not only in a familiar high-energy, rock-based piece like Chaos but actually more so in heavier, more ponderous compositions. I can tell you that one such piece, 청야비가 (Song of Blue Night and Sorrow), is four minutes of 2012′s most frigid, profound reflection in violin and zhonghu. I can tell you that I Am knows how to be trendy, bringing out the best traits of its featured artists in vocal tracks like mood-drenched Flashback as well as brightening up for pleasant instrumentals 첫 키스 (First Kiss) and I Wish. I can tell you that while Son’s violin work obviously takes center stage, the amount of other dazzling ear candy in I Am is staggering. And I can tell you all this is very well-packaged and -presented.

Or I could simply tell you that I Am is one of the top crossover albums of the year so far. But what’s the fun in that?

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Chaos
2. 첫 키스 (First Kiss)
3. Flashback – Featuring Dynamic Duo, K.ing
4. 청야비가 (푸른 밤 슬픈 노래) (Song of Blue Night and Sorrow)
5. 아직도 널 (You Still) – Featuring Yoon Do-hyun of YB
6. Espresso Girl – Featuring Phantom
7. 이별전야 (Night Before Parting)
8. Rush
9. 즉홍여행 (Impromptu Trip) – Featuring Jang Hyo-suk
10. Stand Up For You – Featuring Son Seung-yeon, Yoo Sung-eun, Woo Hye-mi, Ji Se-hee (Top 4 contestants of Voice Korea)
11. I Wish

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

Sources: Photos – Bugs Music (1) , maniadb (2) (3)

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Jo Kwon surprised by mother’s visit

The mother of 2AM‘s Jo Kwon, recently attended his fan signing event without his knowledge. Jo Kwon was nonetheless surprised by his mother’s unannounced visit and displayed his content by kissing her on the cheek.

Later on that day, Jo Kwon updated his Twitter about the successful event. He tweeted:

 ”An autograph session with fans that was truly fun and joyful… seeing you guys so often seems like a first which makes this autograph session all the more memorable. I love you I AM! The included picture is one of my mom who surprised me with a visit.”

The visitation of a loved one can truly make someone’s day a whole lot better.

Source+Photo: enewsWorld