On May 4, hiphop label H1GHR MUSIC held their US Tour at 333 Live in Los Angeles. Read our concert review written by guest writer Yasamine (of Pixeletry).
Review of LATE LEE’s ‘SHOES’ EP
“SHOES” is a solid piece of work from up-and-coming Korean-American rapper LATE LEE. A valiant effort from a young man just scratching the surface of what he can do.
pH-1 and the H1GHR MUSIC Showcase at SXSW 2018
pH-1 captivated the crowd at SXSW’s H1GHR MUSIC Showcase last month. HiphopKR was there–relive the event with us!
Uzuhan brings fire & passion to Kollaboration at SXSW 2018
Uzuhan lights up the Kollaboration stage at SXSW. He’s everything you’d want in a rapper and more because so much of who he is is displayed without reservation when the lights are on him and the crowd is at his mercy.
Review of FWRYEYE’s “7 (Chill)” EP
FWRYEYE puts the full weight of his intellect on display with his latest EP, “7 (Chill).”
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Release Date: March 26
Label: Gravity Music
Music Producer: FWRYEYE
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From the album’s very title, FWRYEYE puts the full weight of his intellect on display. “7,” pronounced “chill” in Korean, serves multiple purposes as the face of the album. Obviously the number of tracks, it also represents this as FWRYEYE’s seventh album. Once we begin to dig into the album, we also note there are seven very distinct styles on display. Seven different sides of the artist. Seven opportunities for him to (re)introduce himself to the public.
From the moment the album starts, there’s something a bit different from other releases this year. At this time in Korean hip-hop’s evolution it’s easy to perceive the genre as having become a bit stagnant. There are a few versions of the genre now: faux-trap, jazz-hop, or hip-pop, with a few variations therein. Very rarely will you hear artists who make heavy use of or give large nods to the old-school in their history with the West-borne genre. However, that’s exactly what FWRYEYE does with “Brand.” He wears his influences openly. It’s a characteristic of his music that’s shown in vivid color and form with his seventh offering.
I hear a lot of Primary’s influence in the production. It seems this is an album of themes, each track representing a certain facet of FWRYEYE’s personality. “Speakeasy” is what you get when you stroll into a club late at night, around one in the morning when the mood is just settling into the crowd. The atmosphere just feels … good. “Easy” is right. The mellow contentment of a late summer night, warm weather, but nothing heavy. The song certainly speaks to an easier time, serves as commentary on an era where music was made just for the sake of making you feel good, getting that head nod in your system, a groove in your body that won’t quit until you let it loose in your limbs.
Following the more easygoing atmosphere of the album’s opening, “7” takes a bit of a hard left. In the next few tracks FWRYEYE goes to work, showcasing the voracity of his delivery. “Doneatdone” is decidedly more aggressive than the songs that precede it. The beat pulsates with urgency. Combined with the buzzing whine of synth, the composition almost forces the MC to drive forward with the same energy. He does it with zeal, matching pace with production. However, the next couple songs take his skill to another stratosphere.
Suffice it to say “Fairplay” is one of the EP’s standout tracks. It oozes personality, class, unquestionable skill. FWRYEYE’s flow is meticulous. Not a syllable is misplaced. It’s easy to get lost in the production work. But the magic lays unequivocally with FWRYEYE’s skill. Honestly and truthfully, he’s got a level of control in his flow that speaks to someone who isn’t just in the business of hip-hop for the sake of making a minor splash or shaking a few tables.
He seems to live with the genre in his soul, studies and practices it. Insofar as his knowledge of Korea’s legends, it’s a given that he’s done his research. That much is obvious from his delivery. But the way his cadence dances around a beat speaks of a love of the craft, of hours spent hunched over a notebook in his room. Surrounded by cheap speakers or his ears wrapped in headphones, leaning in to catch the nuance of each artist. Poring over vinyl, tapes, and CDs. The added bit of sass as he takes a hard sip of something from a cup, as if to say, “Next, please,” makes “Fairplay” just that more ferocious.
Just as commendable as his ability to integrate so much of hip-hop’s origins in his delivery, FWRYEYE isn’t deaf to the trends currently making waves in his country (or rap as a whole). Even in this way, the “trap” cadences and whoops indicative of your standard “turn up,” the clank and clatter of the beat, the metallic warp, the very deliberate robotic imitation (compliments of my archnemesis, autotune), the production of “Manofmoods” adds a very nuanced slant to a subgenre that’s starting to become not only stagnant but relatively forgettable, a caricature of its Atlanta origins.
Barrelling right along, “Misunderstood” takes the moodier aspects of hip-hop, more along the lines of Lords of the Underground or (perhaps less fatalistically) Mobb Deep. There’s something a bit more sinister at the song’s edges, a darker production that allows FWRYEYE to pull more of his emotional delivery from within. His delivery is almost manic, as if he’s desperate to force his listener to understand him–thus the title. It’s very fitting that it acts as the EP’s penultimate track. In the same moment he feels misunderstood, he finally makes his way to explicitly expressing his desires for those who’ve taken a moment to listen to him.
Thus the album’s closer, “Want.” Here we get glimmers of Chance the Rapper. Heavy use of piano and an almost nondescript beat, meant to highlight both the lyrics and their lyricist. But there are notable shades of the same effervescence of the Chicago rapper, a brightness that even in his darkest tunes manages to seep through. Another facet of FWRYEYE’s personality. More peeks at who he is as an artist and just how wide his range is.
Conclusion
From note one the album employs the classic “boom bap” indicative of traditional hip-hop. From the obvious influence of Tiger JK/Drunken Tiger (“Brand”) to the brightness of more spiritually influenced fare (“Want”), “7” is a veritable encyclopedia of hip-hop’s evolution in South Korea. It’s something completely unexpected in this current wave of disjointed “trap” imitators and mumble rap. Even more unique is the fact that FWRYEYE opts to forgo any features. It’s definitely rare for an artist (particularly in contemporary hip-hop) to release an album on his own merits without the backing of better known artists. What makes this enterprise even more impressive is that every single aspect of this album represents the man himself.
From production to composition, and obviously lyrical content, FWRYEYE flexes the fullness of his musical muscle and has created an album that’s equal parts traditional and experimental. The combination brings the genre back to what it was meant to be: pure expression, built from the ground up to act as the voice of the artist.
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Edited by Lena
San E and Mad Clown’s We Want You Tour 2018 in New York
On April 6th, Mad Clown & San E made their second stop at the Highline Ballroom, New York, as part of their month-long “We Want You” Tour.
After much anticipation, I was beyond excited to finally attend Mad Clown & San E’s We Want You Tour in my hometown, New York City! I arrived at the Highline Ballroom around 6:30PM, and walked into their ongoing rehearsal. San E, Mad Clown, DJ Juice, and Sobae were all on the stage: checking their mics, the timing of transitions, and quality of the projected videos. I was impressed with the level of thorough preparation by the artists and staff, and could not wait for the concert to officially begin!
The meet & greet fans trickled in about 30 minutes later, and it was heartwarming to see such a relaxed, open atmosphere. The artists invited fans, one by one, to come sit with them and simply hang out. All the meet & greet fans were able to not only get a photo with all the artists, but also to have genuine conversations before the show. I was humbled to have Sobae and San E thank HiphopKR for our various coverage, and was even fortunate enough to get my ‘Anything Goes’ album signed by Mad Clown.
After the meet & greet, the artists went backstage to get ready, and the rest of the audience entered the cozy concert venue. I situated myself front and center, and eagerly waited for the concert to begin. Sobae took charge of the opening performance, with her recently released second single: ‘Homegirl‘. A humble, sweet artist, and despite it being her first collaboration tour, she took the stage in natural confidence. She made a special shoutout to all the strong females in the crowd, and it was uplifting to have her dedicate the song to the audience as her “homegirls.”
After Sobae’s opening, DJ Juice spun a quick flashy intro for our main artists: San E & Mad Clown! The audience burst into laughter and cheers as San E & Mad Clown stormed onto the stage in these outlandish animal print coats:
The two opened with their first collaboration single, ‘Sour Grapes’. To complete the look, Mad Clown even threw fake money with the faces of both artists on it.
Afterwards, there was a jam-packed back and forth between Mad Clown and San E, each performing a solo verse. In fact, they planned a contest format, and asked fans to cheer for who they thought performed better. The audience and I clearly had a blast shouting their names and seeing their reactions. For watchers of Show Me The Money, both artists showcased the best of their best verses from the show!
Namely, Mad Clown’s famous “ear-piercing” rap for the guerilla showcase mission on Show Me The Money 2 was recreated for the concert, and the cheers following were equally “ear-piercing.” Personally, it was amazing to hear such power coming from such a reserved person. Even during rehearsals and my interactions with him, they were limited to a few quiet words. Yet, his rapping, magnified when heard live, was something that made me freeze in awe. To my pleasant surprise, he even performed a song from his first album, ‘Get Busy’. With my signed copy of the album nested in my purse, I couldn’t help but to feel emotionally charged. Mad Clown definitely knows how to rile up his fans. Even when making comments throughout, he was more confident with Korean, but would shyly throw in English–making the crowd go crazy. His interaction with the audience was so wholesome!
On the complete other end of the spectrum, San E’s wild unchecked energy brought such positive vibes throughout the concert. He set the bar for our reactions. I love when artists are in their happy place and loving what they are doing–San E seemed to be doing just that. He was the person to make the jokes to the audience, to jump around all over the stage, and to bring it all together. In the middle of the concert, he surprised me by asking me to translate the exchange between him, Mad Clown, and DJ Juice. Honored, I (awkwardly) explained that San E and Mad Clown would do rock-paper-scissors for who would perform next because it would be boring to have everything scripted. An experience I’ll never forget, I watched the rest of the concert in a slight daze.
Of course, we couldn’t go home without San E and Mad Clown performing their newly released single: ‘Butterfly‘. The two artists taught fans how to dance to the song, and gave out specially signed singles to audience members who were the best dancers. Everybody in the crowd was flailing their arms, shaking their heads, and singing along. It was a fun, and in the strangest way homey, exercise.
Lastly, the best way to end the night was the encore performance: where San E and Mad Clown dressed up as each other, performing ‘Sour Grapes’; but this time, they performed each other’s verses. I was so busy laughing that I didn’t even get to take a decent picture.
Overall, I was so happy with the concert! It was very well-prepared with many little skits planted throughout. A packed two hours, I loved the chemistry between Mad Clown’s careful cautiousness and San E’s uncontainable energy–although their personalities don’t seem to overlap all too much, perhaps that’s what makes them such a well-balanced, amazing duo!
Without a doubt, I know this tour is already and will continue to be successful. That being said, the tour will be ongoing until the end of this month–grab your tickets now!
We would like to thank Bluenote Entertainment and Clossed Sessions for providing the press pass, as well as Kamoflage Entertainment for organizing a great event!
Featured tour dates & locations:
Boston–April 15 at The Middle East
Dallas–April 26 at Trees
Chicago–April 29 at Park West
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All presented by Kamoflage Entertainment: Kamoflage Entertainment is proud in providing a multifaceted array of creative contents ranging from concerts, artist build, festivals and videography. Prior acts produced include Dynamic Duo, Epik High, Sean John, Tritonal, Porter Robinson, Carnage, etc.
Article edited by Lena
Coming To You Live: DPR Live shines at the Korea Spotlight
Whether he’s mystifying the audience with his live lyricism, or he’s captivating each person in the crowd with a smile that could stop a thousand hearts, DPR Live lives very much in the moment during his performance.
Review of Joo Young’s ‘Fountain’ EP
After what seems a lifetime, R&B vocalist Joo Young returns with his latest EP. ‘Fountain‘ is a simple piece, unfettered with unnecessary flourishes or even over-the-top vocalization. With these six tracks, Joo Young establishes himself as a musical force, quietly slotting himself in (and at times above) his more widely recognized peers.
Review of Punchnello’s ‘at 5:43am’ mixtape
More a collection of moods and memories, ‘at 5:43am’ delves deeper into Punchnello “the emotional composer” than the quick-witted MC. His palette is wide, brushstrokes broad, and his colors as enigmatic as he is.
‘at 5:43am‘ shows just how introspective Punchnello is, opening with a demo clip of one of his most recognizable tracks, “Green Horizon,” from his ‘LIME’ EP. This whisper of a nod leads into a track that rides that soft sigh on the radio-muffled strum of a guitar. “numb” is composed much as its name suggests (confirming that the track was first built, and the emotion evoked lead to its title). It’s a track dipped in Novacane (or codeine, if a muffled confession hidden in the song’s lyrics is taken at face value), a bit cottony around the edges. His delivery is latent as if his tongue is still attempting to feel its way around his mouth.
This dreaminess carries the mixtape from start to finish. Every song has a hint of something slightly … off. Not quite all the way there, as if he’s teasing listeners with something in the distance, or perhaps just out of reach of our peripheral vision.
“balcony” lends credence to the theory that perhaps there’s something a bit sinister underlying ’nello’s production. The sample is genius. From Gene Wilder classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, “Pure Imagination” is the moment we’re first introduced to the man’s vast wonderland of treats and tricks. Using a song that’s a wink and smirk at those who believe their shortsighted selfishness will garner them the things they most desire is certainly a clever way to say so much without actually saying much at all.
With quips about how many cigarettes he smokes, the mumbled hum of the deceptively playful melody adds a layer of eeriness to the song’s already twisted composition, shrouding Punchnello’s voice and lyrics about feeling blue in a fog. His use of the ethereal “Pure Imagination” suggests that perhaps what one perceives of him and what one gets are at once disparate but ultimately parts of the same trick coin.
Couple that with a track like “hangover,” in which ’nello proclaims, “I’m drunk and high,” and we get a totally different take on the man’s personality. These lyrics being some of the clearest in the mixtape, there’s still that warbled reality, that warped twist of the guitar in the ear–in vino veritas. The heavy filter placed on that guitar gives the aural illusion of someone drowning in a sea of their own iniquities (this particular sin being a bottle of something powerful enough to keep Punchnello babbling the same declarations of inebriation). As the song rattles to a slurred and drunken halt, one can imagine the drink getting the best of our hapless protagonist, only for him to wake up to a sunrise that both blinds him and alerts him to his mistakes.
“icanthelpyouifyouwontletme” is decidedly brighter than any song on the mixtape to this point. However, the honesty in the title (each word run together as if the previously mentioned “hangover” is still prodding behind his eyes and making everything blur), hints at a man looking back on his life–hell, on the previous night’s exploits. Garbled memory makes him realize he may need help crawling out of that bottle. But as the title suggests, he can’t help himself if he honestly doesn’t want help. A conversation between the man laid out on tousled sheets and his conscience. Until he finally forces himself upright at the banging demand of his psyche.
“openthedoor” is another declaration of a man fed up with drowning. The music is again less muffled, clearer and less of a mess in his mouth. He demands of someone (most likely himself) to “open the door.” Though he’s likely not one to raise his voice, the command is finite. It’s the only line in a song whose composition is the most steadfast on the album. Punchnello is now more in control, more ready to face the world.
Conclusion
In the one minute between the first song and last, Punchnello has taken us on a whirlwind of his more primal (and more heavily uninhibited) self. Between 5:43am and 5:44am, he’s managed to take a warped, mangled, liquor-drenched memory and compose a piece of music that sees him at his most open. All this with a few sparse lyrics thrown in–perhaps to keep at least one foot tethered to the terrestrial while the rest of his body and mind float on a soupy cloud of intoxication.
I have to say, I adore that Punchnello is flexing his lo-fi R&B/hip-hop muscle. It’s really refreshing to find an artist who just wants the music to breathe. He doesn’t intrude upon his compositions, but his presence is very obviously felt throughout. ‘at 5:43am’ is the type of album that you allow to play and just wrap around you. It’s a glorious piece of music: simple yet incredibly intricate, balanced yet varied in composition. Though I can tell this was more of a means for him to experiment a bit with sound and vocal construction, it does the work of re-introducing fans of the young rapper to his ability to craft and mould sounds.
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Yohan Jung: Cherry Poppin’ EP Album Review
Read our guest writer Cy’s album review of Dominican-based Korean American artist Yohan Jung‘s new EP Cherry Poppin’.