01. 난 사람이 제일 무서워 (Love Is The Most Scary)
02. 연애소설 (Love Story) [Ft. 아이유 (IU)]
03. 노땡큐 (No Thank You) (Ft. The Quiett, Simon Dominic & Song Min-Ho (Feat. MINO, 사이먼 도미닉, 더콰이엇))
04. 빈차 (Home is Far Away) [Ft. 오혁 (Oh Hyuk)]
05. Here Come The Regrets [Ft. 이하이 (Lee Hi)]
06. 상실의 순기눙 (Cycle of Loss) [Ft. 수현 (Lee Suhyun)]
07. Bleed
08. Tape 2002年 7月 28日 (Tape July 28th 2002)
09. 어른 즈음에 (Around Adulthood)
10. 개화 (Blooming) [Ft. 김종완 of 넬 (Kim Jong Wan)]
11. 문배동 단골집 (Munbaedong Favorite Spot) [Ft. 크러쉬 (Crush)]
Isn't it alright to say that this release came out of nowhere for me? Was I the only one that just looked up and saw Epik High coming out with new music? It's been three or four years since the rappers signed to YG Entertainment then they moved to a sub-lable of YG which didn't surprise me too much. Tablo, Mihra, and their DJ have always done things by their own rules. They are known for testing the boundary of what Korean Rap/Hip-hop is known for. Some of their music has actually been banded based on the content being too anti-South Korea. Even so, Epik High went on to win many awards for their albums at music shows. This is their ninth studio album to date.
"Wonderful" is what I'm going to call this album while I type. The name of this album is too damn long to be typing every time I mention it so let's stick with a shortened version. Epik High asks for the aid of big singers to help them craft their musical imagery for this album. There are special guest appearances by the nation's little sister trying to shed the title(IU), Oh Hyuk; and Lee Hi, who was brought back to feature again simple because she fits just right in Epik High's music, plus other artists. Oh Hyuk was the feature artist that had me the most excited. I'm a huge fan of his music so this feature came at the right time for me. One quality that I constantly address when talking about Epik High's music is their flexibility to bring new flavor to the Hip Hop genre. They don't try to be followers of trends that others think make them more Hip hop or "Thug". If Epik High doesn't feel the music in their souls, you're not going to hear it. Wonderful comes in full swing like a diary that Tablo wrote during his darkest moments over the past few years. He seems to really suffer with a lot of emotional anguish as noted in Epik High's past songs. I felt a little torn because I enjoy listening to Tablo's experiences but it's sad to know that his suffering is my past time. Hopefully, writing all his heartache down was somewhat of a cure for him. I know that doing this helps many other musicians. The album was produced in a way that didn't try to be music that was strictly Hip Hop. Epik High never was that kind of rap group. Instead Wonderful features instrumentals that are inspired by the classical music genre. instruments such as violins and piano are performed seamlessly through the base beat that's a must for every rap track. Then a rock mixed with rap sound is laid down for tracks such as HERE COMES THE REGRETS. The electric guitar gave the track a sure fire edge for the lyrical message. No Thank You, features a whole bunch of rappers that participated as judges with Tablo on Rap competition show, Show Me The Money. This is probably the most Hip Hop orientated track on the album. All the rappers have no filter here and I loved every minute of it. Not every track is depressing on Wonderful. Some tracks give confidence in moments that Epik High's emotions become more hopeful.
Epik High is the type of group that can rap along to any genre of music. That being because these guys can rap with fierceness making any track they rap on worthy of greatness. I would consider most of the tracks on Wonderful to be pop. However, Epik High's bars are so powerful that it doesn't even matter. They still can be about that Hip Hop life though. The featured artists adapt to the normal Epik High formula when it comes to the soft way they all chose to vocalize. IU's feature reminded me of the group's old tracks like Love Love Love. Many of the female features sing in the same style when singing for Epik High. Lee Hi was kind of an exception. She sang with a soulful sorrow, fitting perfectly to Tablo's rap bars. Oh Hyuk's track is the title track for the whole album. He sounds amazing on Home is Far Away. His husky and soulful vocal was mystifying, yet commanding. I loved the transitions between his high and low registers. Perfect for listening while relaxing on the bed.
Epik High came back on a different appeal for their fans. They put their hearts on their sleeves by being more artsy than their other rapper counterparts. I believe they are one of the few Korean rappers that realize that Rap is about talking about YOUR OWN experience. Forget rapping about thug life that you know good and well you're not apart of. As a black guy, I get so tired of the fake wannabe thug Korean rappers that try to copy off my people's culture. Cool, if that's your experience(like if you actually grew up in urban culture) but don't rap about stuff that you think makes you look good. Rap from the heart.
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