Jimin’s “Set Me Free: Part 2” is a spiritual successor and not a sequel to Agust D’s (Min Yoongi) “Interlude: Set Me Free” (which it was speculated to be from the title of the track), the ninth track on his second mixtape, D-2, which was released on the 22nd May 2020. A mere two minutes…
Category: Album Reviews
The Ephemerality of Longing: So!YoON!’s “Smoke Sprite” (feat. RM) Single Review
So!YoON! (황소윤) is the stage name of Hwang Soyoon, a South Korean guitarist and singer-songwriter. She is the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of SE SO NEON, an indie rock group, which debuted in 2017 under Magic Strawberry Sound, with the critically acclaimed EP Summer Plumage, the lead single of which was…
j-hope ‘on the street (with J. Cole)’: From the Streets to the Skyscrapers – Single Review
j-hope and J. Cole are artists at similar places in terms of their importance and relevance to their respective music scenes, despite the fact that J. Cole is the senior of the two musicians. Both are at a crossroads in their lives: j-hope will be shortly enlisting in the South Korean military as all able-bodied…
Pushing Through It All: Young Harry’s “Live 4 The Dead” Album Review
Young Harry, a Korea-American Hip-hop artist, has had a steady rise in attention since his 2018 debut with Y.H season. The rapper, who is in his early 20s, showcases his American rap influences in his 2nd studio album Live 4 The Dead, which dropped on the 20th of January. The album cover features a beautiful,…
Strong, Stylish, Sensuous: SF9’s “The Piece Of9” Mini-Album Review
Less than a month after wrapping up their “Delight” tour in the USA, SF9 returns to the stage with their new mini-album “The PIECE OF9”. Bringing back the suits and sheer charisma, the boy group proves once again why they’re famous for their class. While SF9 has long been praised for having a strong, impenetrable…
Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man: RM’s “Indigo” Review
Art doesn’t come from someone who takes the shortcut. Only by taking the longest and most strenuous path can art send forth its fragrance. Truth is only realized and expressed through suffering. Yun Hyong Keun Strictly speaking, Indigo is not Namjoon’s first solo album, as prior to this he had released two free mixtapes, RM…
Will the Real Jung Ho-seok Please Stand Up: “Jack In The Box” Album Review
While Jack In The Box is J-Hope’s first solo album, it is not his first outing without the other BTS’ members. On 2nd March 2018, the triple threat (rapper, dancer, vocalist) released his debut mixtape, Hope World, which peaked on the Billboard 200 at 38, despite being a free mixtape, available on SoundCloud as well…
BTS Take Japan: “BTS, The Best” – Japan Album Review
BTS debuted in Japan on 12 June 2014 with the single album No More Dream. Their first full Japanese Album, Wake Up, was released on Christmas Day of the same year. Since then, the group has released 9 further single albums and 3 additional studio albums. The single albums contain Japanese versions of lead singles…
Smooth Like Butter: Boys Just Want to Have Fun – BTS’ “Butter” Single Review
Butter is BTS’ second English language single, following their 2020 smash hit Dynamite. It is written by Jenna Andrews (who is also credited on Dynamite), Alex Bilowitz, Sebastian Garcia, Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, Ron Perry (the chairman of Columbia Records) and RM. Vocal production is by Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk, while vocal arrangement is…
The Unbearable Lightness of Being: BTS’ “BE” Album Review
BE is BTS’ fourth (Korean) studio album and follows the record-breaking Map of the Soul: 7 from earlier in the year (February 21). Released on the 20th November, six months after the later, BE is a project album that is best understood as a personal response to COVID-19. BE is grounded in reality; while the…
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