Ong Seongwoo Shows His <LAYERS>
Ong Seongwoo is back with his first mini-album, <LAYERS>! Released on March 25, the album is comprised of six songs, including his new single “GRAVITY.”
The mini-album opens with the title track “GRAVITY,” a pop song with a heavy R&B vibe to it. Light EDM effects give the track an appropriate space-like feel, but it's Seongwoo’s vocals that make the song truly enchanting. Whether he’s singing with a more relaxed tone or projecting in his held notes, Seongwoo’s control over his voice is impressive. When the vocals are paired with the dreamy EDM-acoustic instrumental, “GRAVITY” is a song with unexpected and incredibly interesting depth that will have you wanting to press repeat immediately.
The next track, “Cafe,” is your typical coffeehouse acoustic pop, fit for the softest mornings or afternoons, and Seongwoo’s light tenor makes it seem like the whole genre was invented just to suit him. “After Dark,” meanwhile, has a similar dreamlike quality to “GRAVITY,” and Seongwoo’s heavenly vocals are enough to make any listener feel as though they’re floating amongst the clouds.
“BYE BYE” turns the tides with its upbeat, rock edge. With a groovy guitar hook and Seongwoo’s acerbic, “I’m sorry I’m not stupid” line, the song gives the otherwise soft tracklist a much appreciated bite of variety. “GUESS WHO” follows much the same premise with the retro surfer feel brought on by the electric guitar that runs throughout the song. Just when you think that Seongwoo’s vocals couldn’t have been any better suited to the previous tracks, the mysterious and sexy “GUESS WHO'' fits his voice like a glove. Though, the unexpectedly toned-down chorus and sultry whispered vocals are a huge plus.
The mini-album concludes with “WE BELONG,” which Seongwoo previously released as a digital single back in January. Back to the acoustic pop side of things, “WE BELONG” is an easy listen that serves as a nice, familiar wrap-up to the artist’s first solo venture.
Overall, <LAYERS> is a great album that not only re-introduces fans to Ong Seongwoo as a rousing, multi-faceted solo artist, but will also surely garner the singer more attention. Despite being his first album release, Seongwoo seems to have already found a style that suits him well. In an interview with VOGUE KOREA, the singer revealed that <LAYERS> is supposed to be somewhat autobiographical in its detailing of his journey creating the album. If these are just the first few layers of Ong Seongwoo as a soloist, then the future looks more than promising for the young singer.
Watch the music video for “GRAVITY” below.