SURAN Returns with Jumpin’
R&B singer-songwriter SURAN has finally returned with her new album, Jumpin’, her first solo release since 2017’s Walkin’. Released on March 22, SURAN manages to fit in various styles and collaborations within the six songs on the mini-album, including title track “Don’t hang up.”
Although she’s participated in various projects since, fans have been eagerly awaiting SURAN’s return as a solo artist since 2017. After releasing a teaser of “Hide And Seek” in February, the anticipation for the full album was at an all-time high. Jumpin’ starts off her triumphant return with “Wander & Flow,” a laid-back duet with Yoon Mirae before kicking things up a notch with the spunky, space-themed love song, “Moonlight.”
“Don’t hang up” is the third track on the list and features rapper pH-1. It’s a song about a relationship in which both parties have stopped putting in effort to make things work. The track has a groovy, electric guitar that flows effortlessly throughout the entirety of the song, reminding you that, yes, this is most certainly a SURAN title song. On top of the wittiness in the lyrics and her great chemistry with pH-1, “Don’t hang up” fits flawlessly into SURAN’s repertoire. The music video is clever, to say the least, showing various shots of SURAN and pH-1 with different phones. Although the romanized Korean subtitles are a bit of a peculiar addition, the video is colorful and entertaining from start to finish.
The previously released “Hide And Seek” with HEIZE follows next and shifts the album into an entirely different direction. Whereas “Don’t hang up” is sassy with a driving (if still jazzy) beat, “Hide And Seek” is entirely acoustic, laced with longing, and serves as a direct antithesis to the couldn’t-care-less attitude of the title song.
“OJB,” the English abbreviation for the Korean title, “어젯밤 꿈에,” may be the most musically interesting track on the album with its unexpected pizzicato string line. Before even delving into the lyrics, the sound has a very dream-like quality which is appropriate for this song that likens parting ways with a loved one to waking up from a dream. The final song on Jumpin’ is, fittingly, “Jumping.” With its heavy synth lines, this song sounds like a pop song straight out of the early ‘90s. It’s the closest to a ballad we get on the album, with SURAN’s vocals finally getting the focus they deserve. Considering the yearning that permeates the rest of this release, “Jumping” leaves the album on the most positive note it can, with listeners feelings like they’ve gone on some kind of soul-searching journey with the singer.
For fans and casual listeners alike, this album from SURAN is a gift. Whether it’s the jazzier tracks like “Wander & Flow” or the more emotional songs like “Hide And Seek,” this release has something for everyone and is a wonderful showcase of SURAN’s lyrical and compositional talents.