DISCLAIMER
Through to that type of article, we want to offer you a review of the Korean urban scene news.
However we need to make some clarifications.
Firstly, even if we are doing our best to give you the largest range possible, we’ll certainly miss some releases but it doesn’t mean that the project isn’t worthy of interest.
Then, if we are always trying to give you a review as much objective as possible, the fact is that there is always going to have some subjectivity in it. We haven’t the “received wisdom”, our aim here is only to promote the weekly releases and in some angles to express our views. After all beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, if you don’t share the same opinion than us don’t hesitate to tell us in our comment space, on twitter or facebook!
We also liked to say that to stay up-to-date on the current releases, we are leaning, among other, on K-Hip Hop France and HiphopKR pages!
SoundCloud Playlist
02/10
JERO - "Judge"
JERO put his languourous/ethereal RnB aside for a more incisive range on this new release, and well, it’s pretty great! The atmosphere the artist is conveying is really interesting and mingles perfectly with the quite retro refined beat.
As for the M/V there is nothing more to say, it’s a classic configuration of nocturnal sceneries with an exacerbated crew/team aspect
GAMEBOY88 - "KARMA Freestyle"
New Trap realease from the rapper/producer GAMEBOY88 who once again show his skills on one of his beats. Simple and efficient.
novh & gist - "요즘꺼" prod by novh
It’s always interesting to listen to a collab between novh & gist! Here it’s kind of an hybrid beat, which might be described as Cyber Trap thanks to its deep basses mingled with a sample of what seems to be a rather high-pitched synth.
02/11
Becoz - "Moonlight"
A rather soft RnB with some zesty notes brought by the production. Nice !
ZENE THE ZILLA - "Xaned Out" ft RAKON
There is some influences of the Mumble Rap in this collaboration between ZENE THE ZILLA and RAKON with some autotune here and there!
HONO - "TO." Feat. ONYOURSIDE
It’s rare to be this stricken by a track structure! What the first minute seems to be a light rap on a Lo-Fi beat took a more dark turn, spiritual, almost disturbing. HONO‘s rap became more incisive and ONYOURSIDE accentuated this progression by concluding the track on a last breath. Really striking!!
GEMma - "Memory"
It’s on an Alternative Rock beat that GEMma decided to rap this time. The autotune she used conveys a rather mind-blowing side while the electric guitare-line pretty reminds of the melancolic side that the Alternative Rock can convey.
AKIRA9INE アキラ - "blu_ice" (prod. jody)
Once again AKIRA9INE is going for Experimental vibes with a track he qualified as Cyber Trap. Cyber Trap may be because of the echo effect, le light veil on his voice and more generally the beat which is on a classic Trap range enhanced by the kind of Cyber/SF atmosphere.
KURO - "그때, 널 [P.YUSEI]"
A track between Rap and RnB with a Lo-Fi beat which mingles with the softeness of KURO‘s voice ~
02/12
Moti - EP : “WHSH” (5 tracks)
From a purely subjective point of view, Moti is probably one of the Planetarium Records label/collective members who aroused the most my curiosity thanks to his sharp and intense rap. I find that he exudes some charisma, something of his own (N.d : It’s hard to describe that in english haha). However it was complicated to step back on his work since the rapper only had a few solo projects.
It’s now over with the release of the EP WHSH, and if I already had a liking for the rapper this project has been a real confirmation!
If the project “only” counts 5 songs, each of them is excellent, without exeption!
The rapper conveys like a rawness while exploring a diversity of universe the whole resulting on a really rich EP.
So yes, you should definitely give it a listen!
A further analysis of the EP is going to be released this week ~
Chillin Homie - "UNDERCOVER"
UNDERCOVER is rather a short track, it’s nonetheless rather intense. Chillin Homie is clearly doing a show of technique strength and well the result is here, it’s really clean!
GILLA - Album : Fragments (8 tracks)
GILLA is probably one of the key producers of the SoundCloud Mind-blowing/Lo-Fi RnB scene.
Hence, it was quite nice to see him release his own album, all the more so as that GILLA‘s works are always qualitative!
It goes without a doubt that Fragments will please the lovers of soft atmospheres with rising figures of the SoundCloud scene such as meego, KU HYUN, slchld et oceanfromtheblue who are present on the project.
A further analysis is going to be release this week
Verbal Jint - “갑분사” feat. 한요한 & 장석훈
It’s a quite surprising song that Verbal Jint offers us this week. Surprising because of alternation of the atmospheres. The Artist started with bars rhythmed by a rather sharp rap, egotrip spirit-like, but then opted for a more vocal range with a progressive RnB phase. At this moment of the song a drop is pretty expected, and it’s here that the artist is surprising us by rather going once again on more marked times.
The whole is still coherent though, and it’s clearly an excellent track!
oceanfromtheblue(오션) - "갑분사 - 버벌진트 freestyle"
If it’s not the first time that oceanfromtheblue is performing on a sharp rap, it’s however rare enough to underline it! If you had closely listened to the previous tracks, (or at least the last one), you might have recognised the beat of Verbal Jint‘s M/V.
And if, as a consequence, it’s once again the same kind of structure, that is to say, tight rap and RnB alternated phases. For all that, and it’s also probably one of the reason why the artist keeps on rising, oceanfromtheblue manages to bring his own colour to the song.
In short, an impressive performance!
DeemaLedger - "불면증"
Intriguing, it might be the best word to describe this project. More generally, if DeemaLedger only had around a hundred of suscribers on SoundCloud, there is still a lot of gems in his discography of 11 tracks.
An artist that we are eager to see evolve!
02/13
Sik-k - "ADDICT" | double single
With this double single, it seems that SIK-K wishes to keep on exploring the slight Alternative Rock sonorities he already gave a try with FIRE.
To be more precise, it’s mainly on ADDICT that this vibes is present, with the electric guitar-line and the decresendo progresion on the drums toms during the chorus drop (at 1:02 minutes for instance).
Xanax in more in line with what he would usually do, a quite mind-blowing and languorous rap (well, the whole song is basically about xanax, Mumble Rap/Cloud drug par excellence). A both mind-blowing and languorous rap as much for the classic use of the autotune, as for a really interesting heartbeat sample. It’s rather discreet, mainly present on the breaks at 1:06 minutes or this at 2:20 minutes, but it’s this kind of detail which bring a real depth to a song. All the more so as that it seems that the beatmaker also used a cardiogram sample, or that he drawn inspiration from it!
ILsanSoNYunSmidBoyyoBdimS (SmidBoy) - "Twenty Plus"
As we already said on Twitter, this time SmidBoy went for a rather narrative rap. As a consequence and like often we one talk s about narrative rap, the beat is rather refined, a simple jazz drum/piano combination. An excellent track, really good vibes!
TSUN (티썬) - "귀찮아 (Tired)" (Prod. HAAN)
A rather fresh track with a pretty groovy dimension which especially brought by TSUN voice.
nathania - "falling" (feat. 유민) [prod. Add Blessed]
There is nothing much to say about this track, a classic nathania ! If you don’t already know the singer, she can be considered as one of the rising figures of the SoundCloud Rnb, especially because of her so recognizable voice. Really recommended for the RnB/Soul lovers ~
개미친구(GamichinGoo) - Album : “낙타와개미” (10 tracks)
A project seemingly in collaboration with the rapper Naktageem which will please the Old Schools/Boom Bap vibes lovers.
There is some pretty retro jazz sonorities sometimes for instance, like on the third and eighth tracks, while the last two ones might be defined as Lo-Fi!
YoungWon - "Boy from Mirror" | Double Single
A project which explores as much mind-blowing trap sonorities as more bouncy/zesty ones. The whole is really vell balanced, it’s pretty clean!
02/14
rheehab - "you needed me" ft. FR:EDEN prod by.grabby
First it’s worth noting that rheehab and FR:EDEN have quite a notoriety now, performing this timeon a rather groovy track, a miw of Rap and RnB.
JayMin - "Bad Tonight"
JayMin offers us a really pretty nocturnal ballad, punctuated by acoustic guitar chords and a really interesting balance of the production.
ISSORED - "RED ØCEAN INTRO" Ft. Big Stuff[prod.ISSORED]
ISSORED keeps on demonstrating the extent of his technique on this rhythmed beat ~
Leaf Keef - Album : “CHANG-NAM (창남)” (5 tracks)
A project which will please the Alternative Rock lovers, the whole is well-balanced, or at least there is not too much treble which is great because it can be unpleasant for the ears.
More generally, CHANG-NAM is an interesting project!
YOUNG JAY - "20190213" [Prod. By Young Jay]
An excellent track which will please the Boom Bap Lovers and more generally the Old School ones. Young Jay‘s technique is really good!
wonjaewonjae - "Dohnballer" (W/ KEMBETWA) *prod. DeepHartt*
A track at the junction of Alternative Rock, Mind-Blowing Trap and Cloud Rap ~
wonjaewonjae - "VALENTINESEX" (W/ KEMBETWA, KIMKIKILLTHATKIM) *prod. DeepHartt*
As we already said on Twitter, if Kembetwa is usually more on sharp Trap, here with KIMKIKILLTHATKIM they are accompanying wonjaewonjae on a more mind-blowing Trap.
Wonjaewonjae also stepped out of his comfort zone as he goes usually more on Alternative Rock or Pop sonorities!
Hwaji - EP : "Femme Fatales & Getaway Planes" (4 tracks)
An excellent EP, as much Jazzy as Groovy, almost Funk like on Thieves in the Night for instance. Hwaji has a really strong musical identity (may be some influence of artists like Prince for instance ?) and a really rich voice you might have already heard on Lounge, fromCode Kunst‘s MUGGLES’ MANSION album for example!
The 4 songs are pretty good, probably one of the projects which stands out the most this week.
02/15
올티 (Olltii) - "돈 (Money)" (Prod. By Code Kunst)
It’s on the ethereal production of Code Kunst that Oltii is performing with a soft rap for an almost nocturnal atmosphere. Really Good!
황세현 - "🤑 돈을졸라벌면 🤑" (Feat. Glockboisoicy)
Hard to describe this track, but it’s like a combination of autotune and acoustic guitar line, it’s rather soft!
CUBE_PURPP(Trap $andWich)- Album : “PULL UP !” (6 tracks)
CUBE_PURPP released his first album, a mix of BubbleGum Trap and Mind-Blowing one, the whole is pretty bouncy and SoundCloud figures like Hong_Key💔More liquor ou 💔 VAN CALUM 💔 are present on some songs as well.
hu57la - "ZOOM ZOOM FREESTYLE"
A rather simple but still striking Trap performance!
🔫Trade L🔫 - "뭐가 문제야" (Feat. EMERUCXI)
Mind-Blowing Trap Lovers are definitely spoilt this week with this track from 🔫Trade L🔫, who, if he only has 7 songs, is yet already showing a pretty musical identity!
02/16
Young B - Album : “Stranger” (13 tracks)
Young B‘s new album is finally released and as usual, the young rapper delivers us another rap lesson, but not without some surprises!
If the whole is coherent with not invasive productions, which allows to truly highlight Young B‘s technique, it seems that the rapper also succumbed to the Alternative Rock virus since among the 13 tracks of the album, it’s nothing less than 6 songs that have this kind of sonorities. More precisely on ROSE, Ferrari, ILOVEYOUMYSIS, 밤에, a little bit on REVENGE and clearly on B-Site where we could almost say that he raps on a full Rock instrumental, or even a Hard-Rock one.
To be more explicit on how this Alternative Rock is showing, the first clear sign is like often the electric guitar sample. However on some tracks, like REVENGE, this vibe is more subtle especially through the resonance effects added to his voice which reminds a lot of the ones one can find in the traditional Rock.
Besides, the rapper is once again showing the extent of his technique range with an almost hoarse rap, a tone below his usual tonality on GRAY which his punctuated by a slight melancholia while he is spitting verse with fluidity on the Trap Beat of the SOkoNYUN FREESTYLE. 서울 and junky are more bouncy, with more deep basses, but still some lightness. It’s worth noting that on junky, YUNHWAY is especially excellent, it’s a real pleasure to hear her on this kind of production, while CJAMM‘s is unrecognizable, a mischievous side almost.
As for the collaborations, 210, kuzi, Skinny Brown, Homeboy took part, but also The Quiett, or the duet Swings and Dok2 on the Trap of the track Next? where they lived up to their reputation, and even JUSTHIS on Business class who, from a purely subjective point of view can be considered as one of the best rappers of the korean scene so much intense his rap is, because he never misses to convey a wide range of emotions through his flow.
RoZeNeR - "I M D O N E" ft. 얼음 , $ober , Kiz
If you follow us on Twitter you might have already heard this track. Overall RoZeNeR is more on Cloud Rap, but here it’s more of a dark Trap!
RoZeNeR - "J O E C H A E G G A M"
Still by RoZeNer, here it’s more of RnB Mellow/Lo-Fi vibes ~
Autokid - EP : “Auto From Outer Space” (8 tracks)
Autokid from the duo Cuprtino (AUTO KID and GLOCKBOISOICY) released his new EP which globally consists in Trap variations, from rather bouncy tracks with BUSTDOWN SHAWTY to more mind-blowing atmospheres like on Day – Off ou Leave Me for instance!
린린 - “suckmadick 아저씨” (feat. kembetwa)
It’s a mix of Rap/Mumble Rap for a rather clean collab!
David Koo - Projet : "21 Century Trap Star's montage Vol. 2" (6 tracks)
A Trap release once again, we already talked about some of the projects tracks like the Ok Freestyle with Flema and globally David Koo delivers a whole project in this same spirit witha rather sharp rap!
Yagancamp (야간캠프) - "부엌칼은 병원보다 가까워"
Nothing much to say, as always, Yagancamp is excellent, his flow is still impressive!
Lil Sunder11 - "marine boy"
Between Trip Hop and Alternative Rock,some classic Lil Sunder11 with a little twist on the second part ~
ONYOURSIDE - "우리는 언제나 관심에 목말라있다." (feat. 애정결핍환자)
ONYOURSIDE delivers a really intense performance, some raw emotions on a refined production which shows the extent of his technique range..
A really fine track !
