REVIEW ROUNDUP: DAWN, MCKDADDY & LEE GI KWANG
[SINGLE] Dawn - Dear My Light
7.5 out of 10
Taking up with Groovyroom’s AREA after parting ways with P-Nation, Dawn’s first release with the label is the soul-bearing ‘Dear My Light’. Lead by not much more than an acoustic loop and a vulnerable performance by Dawn, ‘Dear My Light’ is as tragic as it is therapeutic. Capturing the feeling of loss, selflessness and acceptance in a truly beautiful vignette, Dawn delivers a career-best vocal performance. Dawn’s perspective is relatable but also almost entirely unique given the nature of his highly publicized relationship and what that relationship represented in the context of the industry. The instrumentation is simple, but Dawn’s entrancing vocal performance is what gives the song the gravity and emotional potency that it needs.
[ALBUM] Mckdaddy - Fatal
6.0 out of 10
Since landing with one of the most impressive debut rap albums perhaps ever in Korean hip-hop in 2019, Mckdaddy has continued to rap on a technical level that is a cut above the rest, but has largely struggled to capture the musicality and energy that ‘I’m In Trouble’ so perfectly bottled. ‘Fatal’ is the rappers latest EP, and while it’s still a far cry from Mckdaddy’s best, it’s perhaps his most noteworthy project since. He has never come up short on quick, razor sharp flows and ‘Fatal’ is no exception with standouts being on ‘Most Underrated’ and the buoyant ‘Good Morning’. It’s mostly the occasional bland production choices and some undercooked hooks that keep ‘Fatal’ feeling rather bogged down at parts. Though there are production highlights such as the intro with its fun scratches and cloudy atmosphere. ‘Fatal’ feels like Mckdaddy finally stepping from the shadow of a tremendous debut, with a commendable about of swings.
[SINGLE] Lee Gi Kwang - Predator
8.0 out of 10
Lee Gi Kwang of BEAST/Highlight fame returns with his first full-length effort fronted by the enigmatic ‘Predator’. Almost Taemin-esque at times, ‘Predator’ is a heavily textured dance number that works brilliantly in building and maintaining suspense through its engrossing song structure. The verses and hooks find a way to seamlessly melt into one another, without ever losing a sense of momentum with enough peaks and troughs throughout. Driven by a heavy bass line and ethereal synth leads, Gi Kwang embodies a sense of mystique and sensuality in his very polished vocal performance. ‘Predator’ doesn’t pay off its buildups as typically expected, by the groove that it clutches on is far more entrancing and infectious. Lee Gi Kwang’s ‘Predator’ is an absolute show stopper of a single built on progressive songwriting and immersive atmosphere.