Ten songs by artists that are part of a duo/group, but for whatever reason have released solo material.
Not Alone - Park Jung Min
Korean | Pop
This is the song that inspired this theme. I've always liked SS501, but never really paid attention to its individual members. The only one I could have recognized by name/face was Kim Hyun Joong. I think Park Jung Min of SS501 has caught the attention of many, myself included, with his latest single. Not Alone is the title track. I love the utilization of strings, ranging from the staccato of the dark, dramatic opening to the long, melodic lines of the brighter chorus. It's catchy without relying on the synths and auto-tune that define so much of recent k-pop, which is refreshing. I've had this song on repeat for the last couple days.
You and I - Park Bom
Korean | Pop
I really wish Park Bom released more solo material. She has such a great voice, and it doesn't really get a chance to shine in 2NE1's songs. The music video has an interesting twist, by the way. Park Bom sounds great, her voice is strong without being overpowering and has a really nice richness to it.
VVIP - Seungri
Korean | Dance/Pop
Seungri was one of those members of Big Bang I never really noticed until he released his first mini-album. My qualm with Big Bang's music (and GD & TOP's mini-album) is that their songs, while extremely infectious, get stale quite quickly. It's a bit too early to tell with VVIP, but I think it has a bit more staying power. There's a nice contrast between the bright, melodic chorus and the rapping verses. There's something youthful and fresh about the song in general, emphasized by the touches of brass, that separates it from other uptempo tracks.
小樹 - Lara
Mandarin | Pop/Ballad
Lara was a member of Nan Quan Mama, before leaving to pursue a solo career. To be honest, I'm not really fond of her solo album. She has a really delicate voice that worked well with Nan Quan Mama's style of music and mixed group concept, but alone with the cuter, more standard-pop based sound that she has in her solo album, it's quite forgettable. I do like 小樹 though, I think the light, acoustic accompaniment compliments her voice nicely.
Sorry - Lee Jin Sung ft. Heritage
Korean | R&B/Ballad
Lee Jin Sung was half of the original duo of Monday Kiz (the other half was Kim Min Soo, who passed away in 2008). Monday Kiz was known for their ballads, so it's no surprise that Lee Jin Sung has a great voice. This song is a bit more upbeat than the ballads they were famous for. I love the harmonies.
문이 닫히면 - 윤두준 & 손동운 of Beast
Korean | R&B/Ballad
Beast's songs have always been a bit hit-or-miss with me, but I really like this duet. It's got a really nice acoustic feel that's different from their usual style.
Wonderful Life - Minwoo
Korean | Pop
I think that out of Shinhwa's members, Minwoo's solo songs are my favourite. The others have released songs that I've really liked too, but excluding a few of his most recent songs, I really like most of what Minwoo has done. His music has so much energy and flair, and Wonderful Life is the perfect example of this. The confident brass riffs and bass line work so well with the depth and slight rough edge to his voice.
Persona - Kangta
Korean | Ballad
H.O.T.'s prime was way before I got into k-pop, but I'm pretty familiar with Kangta's solo material. Persona was released in 2005, and I don't know how to explain it exactly, but there's something about it that's different from more recent ballads. Whatever it is, I love it. It's a bit dark without being overly dramatic or exaggerated, and there's a sense of yearning to it. I like the subtle harmonies as well.
못 잊어 - Kim Jong Kook
Korean | Pop
I'm a big fan of Kim Jong Kook, formerly of Turbo. He's known for his high voice. While in a couple of his songs - especially some on his first/second solo albums - it comes across as thin, I think he's really developed because overall, it's clear and warm. 못 잊어 has a great melody and uses synths subtly.
덩크슛 - JoKwon & Whale
Korean | Pop
This song is a collaboration between 2AM's JoKwon and W&Whale's Whale. It's a cover of Lee Sung Hwan's Dunk Shot (which I've never actually heard, so I can't make any comparison). It has a really unique flavour and beat, modernized by well-utilized synths.
Labels: 2AM, Beast, Kangta, Kim Jong Kook, Lara, Lee Jin Sung, Lee Min Woo, Park Bom, Park Jung Min, Seungri, W and Whale
Five songs I've been listening to a lot this week. There will probably be a mixtape coming next week, I'm still working on it. Also, if anyone wants to suggest themes for mixtapes, feel free to leave me a comment. :)
- Haruhi
Illuminated - Hurts
English | Synth-Pop
I featured Hurts in my last mixtape with the song Blood, Tears & Gold which I've been repeating over and over recently, I love it. Another great song by this duo is Illuminated. It's airy, yet grounded by the percussion and guitar. I love the spot at around 1:30 where everything drops away but the quiet hum of a string instrument, and all of a sudden the chorus breaks into that near-silence like a crashing wave. I really don't know how to describe this song, but it's gorgeous. This duo is amazing, and their first (and so far, only) album Happiness has become one of my favourites.
Maximum - DBSK
Korean | Pop
I still have difficulty calling Changmin and Yunho "DBSK" without the other three members. It just doesn't seem right, and I hope that one day they'll be reunited ... and if they're not planning on that happening, they should just change their name like JYJ chose a new, different name. I've only skimmed through their album once, and the only track that stood out to me was Maximum. It has a great beat and reminds me of Rising Sun - it has the same intensity and energy and even uses some of the same vocal techniques. It's energetic and addictive.
영화도 안보니 (Feat. Chan Sung) - Joo
Korean | Pop/Ballad
I was really impressed by Joo's debut mini-album which was released about an year ago. I was beginning to think she was a one-hit wonder with her famous Because of a Man, the title track of that mini-album, because she basically disappeared except for doing a few OST songs here and there. She's recently returned with a second mini-album called Heartmade, which this song is taken from. While most of the songs on Heartmade are ballads that, despite showcasing Joo's powerful voice, are quite formulaic, 영화도 안보니 is a light, airy mid-tempo track. It's melodic and the lighter accompaniment really works with Joo's vocals, which are strong but not overbearing.
Fuck You - Eliza Doolittle
English | Acoustic
This is a cover of Cee-lo Green's song of the same name. I've had this song for a while but only started really listening to it more recently. I don't know anything about Eliza Doolittle, but she has a rich, unique voice that sounds great over the acoustic backdrop. I'm usually not a fan of covers, but this one is great.
OH YEAH - GD & TOP ft. Park Bom
Korean | Pop
Like most of Big Bang's songs, OH YEAH is catchy and heavily laced with electronica. It's a combination that usually works, but the thing that I dislike about their songs is that they tend to get old really fast. That's already happened with GD & TOP's HIGH HIGH for me, but OH YEAH has staying power in Park Bom's gorgeous vocals. I'm not a 2NE1 fan at all, but Park Bom has really grown on me. To be honest, I think her vocals aren't really put to use in 2NE1, so I love it when she releases solo material or, in this case, collabs with other artists. She sounds amazing, and it really adds colour and texture to the song.
Labels: Big Bang, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Eliza Doolittle, Hurts, Joo, Park Bom
