Hwanhee is no longer the other half of high-flying Kpop duo Fly to the Sky, but his mini-album shows he’s comfortable taking the solo route. With H Soul, he confirms his pop star status, honed through ten years of being in the Kpop music business. A darn good singer and an even more electrifying dancer on stage, Hwanhee charges on with a high-octane electro pop playlist.
Talking about the Korean R&B star, I was quite forlorn when I heard that one of the best Kpop groups would be parting ways to pursue solo projects. Fly to the Sky, or FTTS, was a force to be reckoned with, belonging to the SM Entertainment stable and growing alongside groups like Shinhwa, H.O.T., BoA, and FinKL. They soared with hits like ‘Day by Day,’ ‘Sea of Love,’ ‘Gravity,’ and ‘Condition of My Heart,’ which was written by Brian McKnight. FTTS also rode the hallyu wave by joining major Kpop concerts in Hollywood Bowl and meeting with Asian music fans through conventions in Thailand and Japan
News of the separation sowed fear among longtime FTTS fans that lived and breathed the mid-tempo ballads for which the duo is recognized. Mounting frustration followed that fear when I saw teasers of his album cover - he’s blonde and buff, oh no! Was he going the G-Dragon musical route, with the peroxide-infused transformation? Also, it didn’t help that he went under the knife in 2007 for cosmetic enhancements, possibly a portent that an overwhelming change was about to unfold. |
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These fangirl anxieties fizzled out soon enough when he made his debut performance at Mnet Countdown, looking and sounding like good old Hwanhee. The mini-album brings out the best in his powerful vocals, which tend to lean towards the R&B mold. More a dance album than anything else, H Soul offers seven tracks employing that upbeat techno vibe. Thankfully, Hwanhee’s voice shines through without being overpowered by synthesizers.
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True to his promise of baring his heart and soul in this solo project, he includes one lovely ballad in the collection. ‘Late Confession’ starts with his deep subdued vocals, and then gathers enough momentum before he belts out the soulful and heartfelt chorus. When he turns the volume up a notch, his vocal strength induces goosebumps, be it live in front of you or through the airwaves. Kpop music should never be without such mighty singers like Hwanhee. H Soul has a radio-friendly electro pop playlist that is going to be my ear candy for quite a while.
Rating: 4/5
- Felice Tusi
Link: http://www.hwanheesoul.com
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