From 17 to 19: HA:TFELT’s Heartfelt Return
HA:TFELT is back with her first studio album 1719, led by title tracks “Satellite” and “Sweet Sensation.” The album is a compendium of old and new songs from or inspired by the singer’s life between the years of 2017 and 2019, and is a testament to HA:TFELT harnessing her pain and struggles to craft a cathartic piece of art.
“Sweet Sensation” and “Satellite”
“Sweet Sensation” is a feel-good EDM tune that features SOLE, who also took part in writing the lyrics. The track is mostly electronic—more suited for dancing than anything else—but the guitar groove in the bridge gives the song a bit of funk. With a variety of uplifting lines like the repeated, “Everything is gonna be just fine,” it’s just the pick-me-up song you need on your drearier days. The music video is simple and comforting, with the singer cathartically cleaning her bright, cozy, yet messy apartment before ending up at a party. There’s plenty of quirk and even more color, and HA:TFELT’s solo dance party as she cleans is bound to resonate with anyone feeling confined at home nowadays.
On the other hand, “Satellite,” though still an EDM pop track, leans more towards the ballad side of things, with HA:TFELT’s vocals taking center stage in the sentimental song. Featured artist ASH ISLAND’s harsh rap tone offers a nice dichotomy to the otherwise whimsical song. The music video for “Satellite” is just as quirky and endearing as the one for “Sweet Sensation,” with the singer dancing about as she crafts her own space-themed diorama.
Though a little similar in style, each song manages to show a different side of HA:TFELT as an artist—both of which are equally superb. Check out the respective music videos for “Sweet Sensation” and “Satellite” below.
From 17 to 19
1719, the majority of which was written and composed by HA:TFELT herself, opens with “Life Sucks,” a song tinged with bitterness. The song feels at odds with its sharp EDM drum beats, dreamy pizzicato string effects, and heavy brass synths, with HA:TFELT showing off both her lower register and her falsetto. The track ends with a rather abrupt and foreboding end, making for a perfect lead-in to the rest of the album, and the next track, “Piercing.”
With a laidback 6/8 time signature and HA:TFELT’s impossibly sultry vocals, “Piercing” is quite possibly the most sensual song I’ve ever heard. THAMA’s classic R&B voice suits the song perfectly. Moving along, “I Wander” is next on the tracklist. Previously released in 2017 on MEiNE, the introspective song featuring Gaeko was one of her first solo releases following the disbandment of Wonder Girls. “Pluhmm” is another previous release, originally the title track of 2018’s Deine. A soft electric guitar and rimshots give the song a slight bossa nova feel, a style that suits HA:TFELT’s vocals quite well. A guitar version of 2017’s “Read Me” is next, with the stripped-back instrumentation lending itself incredibly to both the singer’s soft voice and the song’s message. The last of the revisited tracks is 2018’s “Cigar,” an unexpected, future-bass song that highlights HA:TFELT’s lyricism.
“Make Love” opens the remaining portion of the album with a languid guitar hook, and is the only song that holds a candle to the sophisticated eroticism of “Piercing.” With songs like these, it makes you wonder whether or not HA:TFELT has a trademark on R&B songs about physical attraction; it’s simply her brand. “Satellite” and “Sweet Sensation” follow “Make Love” respectively, instantly kicking up the tempo of the album in a wonderful transition of tone.
“Solitude” sounds like a track you might find on the sultrier sides of IU’s discography with its deceptively happy tune. Though HA:TFELT sings of being content with her loneliness following the end of a relationship, it’s revealed throughout the song that her seemingly comforting solitude is eating her alive. “3mins” slows the tempo back down and features a deep but biting rap verse courtesy of CHOIZA. “Bluebird” is the inspirational piano track you were likely waiting for from the autobiographical 1719, and while it’s certainly musically different from the rest of the tracklist, it fits the album’s story well. “Sky Gray” has a bit of a ‘90s R&B flair to it and remains one of the more relaxed songs on the album. The album is rounded out by “How to love,” a bluesy vibe that ends the release on a calming note.
Overall, 1719 is exactly the album I would’ve wanted and expected from HA:TFELT. She’s a singer who knows her strengths and isn’t afraid to push boundaries in order to show her best. The inclusion of old and new songs paints her as a multifaceted, talented artist, and truly gives listeners an inside look at the experiences that have shaped her into the human she is. HA:TFELT has long established herself as a singer that puts her entire soul into her work, and 1719 is the payoff.