SOLE

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.

‘Fountain’ opens with what can only be described as an unsteady heartbeat. This type of mellow R&B (music that’s heavy on the blues and uses rhythm to drive it steadily forward) works to introduce the listener to an album whose central focus is the utter starvation of a body for another. “Daydream” is moody, sensual R&B that goes straight to the soul.

Inevitably the daydream fades, and we’re forced to slowly come back to ourselves. “Dive” creeps in on the suggestion of a piano, slowly bringing reality back into focus. Just as waking from a much-needed sleep, we’re left languoring in a murky half-slumber–still drifting on a luscious memory, still luxuriating in a fantasy. “Dive” sees Joo Young reaching for that daydream. He yearns to grasp onto the wisp of a lover’s scent, the cloudy press of lips against skin. The production may have one believing Joo Young is drifting in and out of a murky dream life, a world where everything is bathed in dark blues, blacks, and grays as he tries to swim through the dregs of late nights and not enough sleep.

We’re then thrown headfirst and suddenly into reality. Though contextually “First” fits, its tone does throw off the album’s balance a bit. This loss of equilibrium has a lot to do with both the composition and SOLE’s voice. The song construction is decidedly lighter, to the point it rings a bit trite when surrounded by music with a decidedly darker bent. While SOLE does have a lovely voice and it does fit perfectly with the song’s direction, her soprano unfortunately grates on the ears. “First” does the work of giving the soul a rest from the sheer darkness of ‘Fountain’ overall. But after the meat and bones of the surrounding music, this bit of confection doesn’t seem to fit as well as one would hope.

With the obligatory “love at first sight” trope behind us, we get back to something a bit grittier, something we can dig our fingers into and feel the dirt of between our nails. “Wine” is both sexy and smooth, a composition and vocal construction as bittersweet-smooth as its namesake. While the song itself isn’t necessarily as dark as anything that comes before, it certainly works to introduce another dimension to the EP. G.Soul‘s contribution–a final bit of romance before he enlisted–works in perfect concert with Joo Young’s tone. Together the singers create something truly elegant. Where “First” was the sunshine-dappled introduction of love, “Wine” takes us through the relationship as it escalates from casual infatuation to something a bit more mature, spicy and aromatic.

Of course, once we’ve established the spark, we’re compelled to make the fire. Honestly and truthfully, “Planet Girl” is one of the sexiest songs to come out of Korea in 2018. It scratches deep, leaving sex-stained nail bites in the back and forearm. This collaboration with pH-1 highlights just how fearless Joo Young can be, allowing his voice to paint a visceral picture while the production and composition work in concert with his vocals to give each image movement and agency. It throbs, pulses. With very simple construction, Joo Young leaves an ache in the listener, and pH-1 boasts of his romantic prowess, proclaiming he’ll take his lover to the stars. Its placement is smart. Whether he intended it or not, making this the penultimate track ensures the audience will thirst for more.

Unlike the song that precedes it, “Fountain” uses a “push-pull” construction. The music has purpose, both at a faster pace than “Planet Girl,” and using leveled composition to illustrate the equal and opposite forces that propel the music forward. It leads in with a three-four military snare canto, which does the job of both setting the pace and throwing the listener once the volta shows up toward the song’s end. This works to hasten listeners to experience the EP once more in its entirety. Again, smart. And while the change, when it comes, isn’t exactly subtle, the composition is smooth, velvety and works as a genuinely intelligent lead back to the beginning of the album.

Conclusion

‘Fountain’ is an album about thirst, plain and simple. From start to finish, there’s an open need for something (or someone) to quench the craving in Joo Young’s sides; to give him the nourishment his soul and body need to continue on in a world that can seem arid if we’re left alone for too long. What begins as a dark journey into Joo Young’s more sloe-eyed sensuality turns into a declaration of one’s desire, unconscionable need to dive headfirst into a pool of something refreshing, cool. ‘Fountain’ turns his search for some divine nectar into a study in the art of the slow burn. The EP does what all works of art are meant to do: give listeners something that lingers on the skin long after the final notes fade.

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