Keeping up with K-Pop: Click the like button and subscribe, KWON EUN BI is back with another mini album

Graphic by- Rachel Fratt

On Oct. 12, ex-IZ*ONE member KWON EUN BI released her third solo mini album, “Lethality.”

KWON EUN BI had a lot of pressure on her back to see if she could top her second mini-album “Color,” which was released in April of this year. “Glitch” caused a shift in K-Pop; now, KWON EUN BI is taking listeners “Underwater.”

This song’s start is reminiscent of a YouTube instrumental from 2014. The marimba/chime has the same melodic beat that was present in the mini-albums instrumental introduction, “WAVE.”

However, I wish the instrumentals that carried “WAVE” were the ones present in “Underwater.”

“WAVE” was powerful and almost took listeners underwater with it. The double bass, violins, snare drums, and electric guitars, made for this epic introduction to “Lethality.” When the simple marimba started “Underwater,” I felt like I had been tricked. 

It is so simple. At the beginning of the song, KWON EUN BI is just vocalizing — to go along with the song’s theme of a siren taking its lover under the sea, it really made you focus on the underwhelming beats.

I wish there was a build of the instrumentals. Starting with the marimba beat, then adding the strings, the guitar, and finally, the drums would have made more of an impact for the start of this song. 

The song’s structure was all over the place. Being experimental with the layout of the song is not an issue, but building on a song throughout, just to cut it short, takes away from what the song could be. 

With the pre-chorus then getting into the chorus, the song builds to distract from the copyright-free marimba that has been annoying throughout, but there still is not enough to make the song feel as grand as “WAVE” made it seem like it would be.

Typical synth beats, with some electric chimes to add dimension, are what power through the chorus. KWON EUN BI sings, “My voice sweeps you away like possessed, pull to the bottom of the ocean.” 

KWON EUN BI is right, her voice always will sweep me away; however, the instrumentals are way too loud in the chorus, and it almost is hard to hear her sing at all.

After the first chorus, there is a brief pause, which initially I thought signaled the song’s true start. The song’s first and only real verse has the introduction of drums, but even with this new instrument, my ears still only can hear the marimba. 

The chorus follows again and then to my surprise, we are at the bridge. The bridge is the best part of the song instrumentally-wise, with this electric piano stripped down carrying KWON EUN BI and listeners even further underwater.

The chime also disappeared for a moment, which really made the bridge stand out from the rest of the song. 

The final chorus is almost the exact same as the two prior, with no drama really added to distinguish that this was the final moment of the song. 

“Underwater” felt rushed. There were no moments for listeners to take in the music — it was like we were at an Olympic 100m freestyle, just having to push through. 

The song’s instrumentals are what really let it down. It felt like I was watching a beauty tutorial, or “RuPaul’s Drag Race” spoiler video. It just was generic, and there were barely any extra additions to make the song stand out. 

It is a disappointment to have the lead single for this mini-album be her worst. It is an okay song, but I was expecting more. 

While “Underwater” made me want to drown, she made sure that the rest of the mini-album was her best work to date.

“Croquis” is “Glitch” backward. Using the same instrumentals as her old song, it takes the hyper-pop sound that listeners may know KWON EUN BI for, and elevated it in a darker way. 

“Simulation” is the perfect video game smooth jazz song that everyone needs in their life. This song is definitely the most unique out of the mini-album — and the best. The seamless blend between jazz and techno-pop is out of this world. 

While there was no “Lethality” in the song’s lead single, the rest of this mini-album is deadly and worth listening to if, like me, “Glitch” has been your song of 2022.