i did - yves (ha sooyoung)
k-indie - paix per mil
note- this review includes both songs from i did : bloom (deluxe version) :)
i'm not sure if this review will seem like a wildcard or not (at least given my usual taste), but i've been lucky enough to follow yves's career as both an idol and soloist since around 2019, and after the release of her debut EP loop, i was super excited to follow her on her soloist journey. i find her style super refreshing- her vocal strength and versatility suit well to her recent indie pivot, as well as sounding at home with her house and electronic inspirations.
viola
viola is a linear and beautifully executed next-step-up from LOOP. i think it was a really wise choice on the part of yves and her label to expand further into dance pop and more electronic / vaguely experimental styles of music, and while it does lack the house-inspired visions of loop, that doesn't subtract from the overall sound and feel of the song, rather further enriching her artistic versatility. i won't discuss much about the music video, as that's not really what this review is about- while i am dissapointed in the use of generative ai for abstract elements on the visual front, i understand that the ones to make that creative decision weren't yves, and i appreciate the efforts of the actual artists within the music video's conception. the usage of odd percussions such as snapping and reverbed synths within viola paired alongside yves's angelic vocals showcase her strengths as both a soloist and a visionary within indie pop and electronic pop genres.
hashtag
hashtag is probably one of the more controversial tracks off of i did, at least online, and honestly? i have no idea why. in my opinion, this is probably one of yves's best tracks, both vocally and instrumentally. lyrically, i would also consider it the best on the EP. as yves has discussed in interviews and with fans, one of the main influences on her music is UK based dance/electronic pop artist PinkPantheress, and with hashtag this influence is clear- it especially reminds me of just a waste, as well as the general body of her 2021 work. probably the only critique i have of it is that of its length- i don't personally understand the pivot that artists have made recently to songs that barely grace the 2 minute mark.
gone girl
i do understand why people enjoy gone girl, but it's not personally my favourite. i do enjoy it slightly, as it reminds me slightly of yves's solox\s with loona, and that makes me nostalgic; however, it doesn't have much else going for it for me. when the tracklist for this EP was released, i was pretty excited for this track, which in retrospect is probably only because of the david fincher reference.
tik tok
not much to say about this one. i think it's one of the more lyrically weak songs on the album, but there's still something to be said about yves's vocals on this one, especially during the chorus.
DIM
instrumentally, the best track on the album. there's somehting about this song that makes you a nostalgic mess; it's ethereal, it's powerful and it brings all of yves's influences together to tie them all together with a neat little bow. vocally, it does a brilliant job of displaying yves's lower range, something i had been praying for in a track since hearing New in 2019. i have more to say later. im going to do something else for a while and come back to this review