KAI Paints A Dreamy Visual With Peaches
The pressure of a sophomore release has been felt by many artists, and KAI is definitely one of them. After a massively successful debut last year, the anticipation for its follow-up was thrilling. Once again dabbling with groovy R&B tunes, KAI exceeds expectations with his second mini-album Peaches. The album contains six new tracks led by the title track by the same name.
Tracklist
Peaches
Vanilla
Domino
Come In
To Be Honest
Blue
Title Track: “Peaches”
The title track “Peaches” is a mid-tempo R&B song that starts off the album on a high note with its addictive melody and heavy 808 bass. Standing in contrast to its predecessor, “Peaches” falls over the listener as a soft, fuzzy blanket, and the lyrics express the romantic moments spent with a lover by comparing them to sweet peaches. The track was co-produced by hitmakers Alawn, who also worked on KAI’s debut song, “음 (Mmmh),” and Ryan S. Jhun, who has worked with countless Korean acts including EXO. The song incorporates traditional Korean strings and pairs them with slow R&B beats, giving space for KAI’s honey-like vocals.
The music video takes inspiration from several Korean and Japanese folktales as KAI performs in paradise-esque sets with a much softer color palette than his debut music video, utilizing warmer tones. The choreography matches the sensual vibe of the track. As a fashion icon, KAI’s outfits in the music video are one-of-a-kind hanboks infused with streetwear style. The music video is innovative and very aesthetic, making it a treat for the viewers. Check it out below!
B-Sides
Instead of being a random collection of R&B songs, Peaches is in fact telling an intimate story about love and heartbreak. After “Peaches” introduces the listeners to the first stage of falling in love, the first B-side song “Vanilla” finds him confessing his love. The minimalistic, slightly indie-pop track “Vanilla” blends KAI’s falsettos with a languid guitar, bongo, and tropical synthesizer. The lyrics compare the feeling of being in love to the soft vanilla flavor. The repeated chorus, which was an artistic decision on KAI’s part, creates the dreamy atmosphere of the song. It was also noted by many that the way KAI pronounces “Vanilla” is to make it sound like “I’m in love,” which only goes to show KAI’s creativity when it comes to his music.
KAI switches it up with “Domino,” co-written by THAMA. “Domino” fuses R&B with hip-hop and features KAI’s lower register, creating a stark contrast between the chorus and verses. The track is about the stage in a relationship where, like dominoes that cannot be stopped once they start falling, the relationship is also unstoppable. “Come In” is a hip-hop dance song featuring layered bass, synthesizer, and vocoder, and is about the hesitation to commit to a relationship. The jagged beat complements that sentiment as KAI hopes he can approach the relationship without hesitation.
“To Be Honest” is an R&B pop song with an impressive rhythmic riff, drums, and 808 bass credited to the genius of GRAMMY-nominated producers Blaq Tuxedo, who previously worked with KAI on his song “Confession.” The song is a moment of reflection as you are enjoying sweet moments with your loved one. The album closes with the introspective track “Blue,” an R&B song that combines a lofi guitar and emotional piano melody. The track is about the end of the relationship as it draws upon the internal conflict of wanting to be alone, but also wanting someone to hold you.
During the online press conference for the album, KAI admitted that the making of this album was not a relaxing process. He also shared that he constantly reevaluated the narrative and story he wanted to share with this album. As an artist who has always been very hands-on in the music and performance he puts out, listeners can definitely hear his involvement in Peaches. As much as the album is about the ups and downs of a relationship, Peaches is also an extremely intimate and introspective album as seen in its lyrics. With Peaches, KAI finds his sound and manages to push himself artistically and personally with new styles. You can catch KAI during his first solo concert appropriately titled Beyond LIVE #Cinema – KAI : KLoor on December 12, 2021. Tickets are on sale now.