“Wanna get inside of your mind, you can make me try it hold me tight.” These are lyrics from I.M and Elhae’s new track “Horizon,” and they make my head go crazy.

As a MONSTA X fan, I was anticipating the release from the deep-voiced rapper. Surprisingly, this track is entirely in English!

The Song

Let’s dig into “Horizon” a little more. The song could easily be described as trap soul. The mellow vibe brought on by the melody layered with the deep bass makes “Horizon” a perfect example of something you might find on a lofi hip-hop playlist. Since I.M is a rapper, I expected the track to be full of biting verses, but instead we are treated with a more R&B, sensual sound that fits his vocal tone well. The way I.M plays with his tone in each verse mixed with the small amount of autotune adds to the vibe of the song. Elhae’s verse blends well with I.M’s, making a smooth transition between the artists. Overall the song is one that would be best listened to on a rainy day covered in blankets.

The Music Video

The music video starts with a bright red screen. Then the screen cuts to I.M sitting in a chair (read: throne) in the middle of an abandoned building. The colors are dark blue and grey at first, but then progress to include red and pink. When the beat drops, we are greeted by a South Korean cityscape and I.M dressed in blue. Other parts of the video include an empty downtown scene lit with neon signs and a club sporting shades of red and blue. One part to pay special attention to is when Elhae appears in the video via CG, his head sitting on a pedestal. As the camera pans out, we see that the statue-like image is broadcasted on an old TV that is placed in the same place I.M was in the opening scene. More and more featuring artists are beginning to appear in music videos in the K-Pop world, and I hope that this pattern continues with MONSTA X.

I.M himself has mentioned he was a fan of Elhae’s music. It was cool to see him live out the fan experience and work with one of his idols. Their voices fit well together, and the story they weaved made a beautiful music video.

Check out “Horizon” below!