Kim Siwon, Sole, the engy

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Kim Siwon, “Back To You Again” (single), 2023 NewMusicSeoul

Flawless vocals have become the expectation from the music industry in South Korea, though Kim Siwon delivers his particular version with a certain gritty roughness. It pairs nicely with the laid-back, good-times R&B instrumentation on this track. It’s a sentimental, playful melody that opens like spring blossoms into a bursting refrain that’s equal parts catchy and cathartic.

There’s a much more well-known Kim Siwon that goes by the name Dahee. This is, quite obviously, not her.

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THE NEW SIX ft. Sole, “Love or Die (Sole ver.)” (single), 2023 P NATION

This bafflingly transformative remix of an angsty post-punk light rock track from P NATION’s all-boy outfit THE NEW SIX relies on the effortless confidence and smooth swing delivered by singer Sole. Kudos to my algorithm for throwing this version at me, which is bold, breathy, and bassy with a rhythm that bounces like a low-key late-summer party. It’s nothing like the original, thankfully, because that’s a sound that seems super dated to my Western ears.

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the engy, “Not Today” (single), 2024 エビバデレコーズ

With this new track, the 4-piece Japanese outfit adds an infectious, deep, and dark jungle beat to their signature indie-rock sound. The vocals, typically idiosyncratic, show dynamic range that almost seem arrogant in this single, shifting between intimate whispering, emotive and vocally fried sighs, and rhythmic spitfire that fluctuates seamlessly between English and Japanese lyrics.

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