Penguin Prison - Show Me The Way

Somehow I missed the fact that Penguin Prison released a new album last week. In a way, that's kind of exciting because it feels like it just dropped out of nowhere. I haven't listened to it yet, beyond 30-second samples on amazon, but I can already tell that it features the familiar, syncopated dance sound we've come to expect. Show Me The Way was the track that appeared on my soundcloud feed, so it's the one I'm posting today. It's a collaboration with frequent producer RAC, and opens with a strong, funky dance beat before moving into tight, melodic pop track. The chorus, especially, feels tailored just for the upcoming summer season. From the sound of it, the full album follows suit.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Hyunseung - You're The First

Beast has very quickly entered into my top five Kpop groups, so I'm thrilled that yet another band member has released solo material. Hyunseung is the quiet, somewhat odd one in the group, but he absolutely comes alive onstage. His new mini-album is excellent, and was launched with this addictive single. Straightaway, you'll be hooked in by the beat and the catchy screams in the background. The hook is incredibly simple, which initially disappointed me, but I've since realized that its strength actually lies in its simplicity, particularly during that wordless dance break toward the end. The rest of the album isn't as uptempo, but benefits greatly with repeated listens. Hyunseung has one of the more distinctive and recognizable male voices in k-pop, and (despite the odd vocoder here and there) it's utilized wonderfully on the slower tracks.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ulrik Munther - Nån gång

How did I miss this? Sweden's excellent singer-songwriter Ulrik Munther came back in March with a new single and today with a new album. I think it passed me by because all of the online media is region restricted (don't even get me started on how annoying *that* is). With the new album, it looks like he's following the latest trend and singing in his native language instead of English. This is totally fine with me, but it'll probably prove tricky with some of his international fans. Nån gång is the only song I've heard so far, and it's a rousing old-school folk-rocker. Not immediately commercial, for sure, but I can already tell it'll improve with repeated listens. I can't wait to check out the full album. Ulrik has yet to disappoint thus far.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

SungKyu - The Answer

As I've made quite clear over the past few months, I am an enormous fan of K-Pop group Infinite. In particular, their leader Kim SungKyu is one of my favorite Korean performers (if not my absolute favorite at the moment). Beyond finding his personality utterly charming, I am continually impressed with his powerful, emotive vocals. His first solo album was really, really amazing, and although I find the just-released follow-up a little slow in comparison, I'm so happy he's able to release another collection of songs as an individual. At times, his solo stuff reminds me of Savage Garden/Darren Hayes, which was one of my first entryways into pop music as a teenager. The Answer is a good example of this. It's nothing mind-bendingly new or unique, but it marries gorgeous vocals with lush, string-laden production and a peaceful, affirming melody. It's not the kind of song I'd always be in the mood for, but it does its specific job very well. It's just really, really pretty. A classic pop song... about as far away from Gangnam Style K-Pop as you could get.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.