When Daze Alive vocalist Rico gives a recommendation for a vocalist, best believe I’m going to give them my full attention. So when he dedicated an Instagram post to songstress Syn, it piqued my interest. She dropped her debut EP “Butterflies.” not long after this discovery. It’s certainly a pleasant surprise.
“12AM” Strikes on LATE LEE’s Journey to Growth
LATE LEE has had to unfold himself out of a lot of self-doubt and feelings of being mentally lost. He’s taken long-term breaks from social media to try to find his center on more than one occasion. Out of that exploration and journey to inner peace, he gifted fans his most poignant work to date. His second EP, “12AM.”
V1NO Explores Emotional Emptiness in “Runaway”
It’s truly a blessing to discover new talent. Particularly when they’ve worked so hard through so much to be able to share those talents with the world. Thus we have Paul Shin, now known by the stage name V1NO. This young man has had a life you wouldn’t believe. (But we’ll get more into that in our interview.) Last year he began to pursue his music in earnest. With that came the release of the music video for his song “Runaway.”
G.Soul Reborn from Grief as Golden in “Hate Everything”
It’s been a long two years since G.Soul enlisted. Fans of the honey-voiced singer were elated when he was finally discharged, promising new music upon his return. Almost as soon as he became a civilian again, he signed with Jay Park’s H1GHR Music and changed his stage name to something many would consider more apropos: Golden.
“Darker Liquor” by Flannel Albert: Of Vice & Men
I can’t begin to fathom the depths of Flannel Albert. Never mind I’ve known him for a few years now. The man has an emotional depth that most, including myself, have yet to even scratch the surface of. By now it’s common knowledge that he’s a remarkable writer. He’s mastered the art of false perception. Behind the playful composition and lilt of his melodic rap style, he buries some of the deepest parts of who he is. The darker parts of his melancholy.
Crush’s “From Midnight to Sunrise” is an Aural Masterpiece
Let me just get something out of the way. I got a song and a half into Crush’s latest album and was on the verge of tears. The last time this happened I was at uni. I’d just heard Jeff Buckley for the first time. After getting over the injustice of him having passed away before I discovered him, listening to Grace ripped something in me that’s never been repaired. Dammit, if Crush didn’t widen the crag with From Midnight to Sunrise.
Samuel Seo’s “The Misfit” is a Work of Art
This man just doesn’t know how to make a bad album. It’s like he’s physically incapable of doing so. It makes sense. Samuel Seo doesn’t release work every three months. He takes his time to develop, learn, nurture his sound. It’s obvious in the way he’s crafted The Misfit.
Jackson Wang’s “Raw, Authentic Self”: “TITANIC” Review & Interview
“[Rich] Brian and I joined forces to make the best track to vibe out to with ‘Titanic.’ This song is all about getting hype, dancing, and having fun. I’m proud that we are representing Asian cultures together with this collaboration.”
–HiphopKR interview with Jackson Wang
DIRTY LAUNDRY Need Love in “Front & Center”
FLANNEL ALBERT and Filthy The Kid return with an LL Cool J style love lament. “Front & Center” is the love song we didn’t know we needed.
RapBeat Festival: Expectation vs. Reality
My first experience at the KB RapBeat Festival was certainly a stark example of expectation vs. reality. Let’s just say it was a bitter pill to swallow.