Feel Ghood Music’s MRSHLL has released his debut album ‘breathe‘ today. He describes the EP as “a work of love.” Support comes from his label mates, as well as from artists like pH-1, Lee Hi, Lydia Paek, Ja Mezz, and SUMIN.
fell in love: pH-1 reveals new demo track via SoundCloud
H1GHR MUSIC’s pH-1 has just dropped a new demo track on SoundCloud titled ‘fell in love‘.
In these last months, pH-1 performed at SXSW, toured the US with his label mates, featured for Qwala and Owen Ovadoz, and participated in H1GHR MUSIC‘s ‘On the Road‘.
Despite his busy schedule, he found time to work on even more new music of his own. In this new demo he uploaded today, the artist reflects on the latest developments in his life.
“I’m still the same
but everybody around me already done changed
acting so strange”
The lyrics are entirely in English. Listen to the track above!
Source: SoundCloud
H1GHR MUSIC drop new single ‘ON THE ROAD (Prod. by BIG BANANA)’
H1GHR MUSIC’s Ted Park, pH-1, Sik-K, and Woodie Gochild have released the new single ‘ON THE ROAD (Prod. by BIG BANANA)‘ today in which they rap about their recent US tour.
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!
Owen Ovadoz drops second full-length album and music video ‘changes’
MKIT RAIN Records’ Owen Ovadoz has released his second full-length album ‘changes‘ today along with the music video of its title track. Support comes from producers Candid Creation, Marcus, APRO, and Optical Eyez XL, as well as from rappers pH-1, Loopy, EK, and Yohan.
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.
‘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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H1GHR MUSIC US Tour (Chicago, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle)
Hiphop label H1GHR MUSIC will be holding their very first United States tour in April and May of 2018. Read about their upcoming US tour (brought to you by SIVA GROUP ENTERTAINMENT) in Chicago, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.
SXSW Artist Spotlight: pH-1
One of H1GHR MUSIC’s newest recruits, pH-1, is making waves as the next Korean-American rapper to bring his brand of hip-hop to South Korea.
LOCO releases digital single ‘POST IT (Feat. Jay Park)’
AOMG’s LOCO has released the single ‘POST IT (나타나줘) (Feat. Jay Park)‘ yesterday along with the Above Live video.