B.I Releases First Solo Album WATERFALL
After one thousand promos in the form of photo and video teasers, B.I’s WATERFALL is here at long last. New and vintage iKONICs have long anticipated his return to K-Pop, and B.I has graciously re-entered the scene with a full album for his solo debut—and dear readers, the comeback eclipses the setback.
With two title tracks, “WATERFALL” and “illa illa,” B.I is not here to mince words, which isn’t to say there’s even a hint of hostility. Where rap has a reputation for aggressiveness, expressing anger and bitterness at worst, WATERFALL brings vulnerability. In both title tracks there’s a theme of regret, the accompanying despair that weighs heavily, and how living with these feelings will allow him to heal in a way that’s meaningful.
Live and performance videos for “WATERFALL” were released nearly two weeks prior to the album, with “illa illa” standing as the official music video. The latter follows B.I on a journey to acceptance, beginning with him surfacing alone in the middle of the ocean—one of several visual references to his lyrics, “At the end of my sleeves is a beach / ‘Cause I wiped out the water flowing on both cheeks.” The video finds B.I first running through the city at night, stumbling along the way as he runs from something unseen, until halfway through when the sun has risen and he's come to enjoy the process, now smiling as he continues on.
In sound, WATERFALL hits on more notes than expected, and it’s a pleasant surprise. Despite the dismal content, most of the songs sound a little hopeful with the use of band instrumentals and cutesy synth beats. Just as well, B.I’s lyrics touch on the depth of melancholia from the lowest lows to the beginnings of recovery, like “Numb” detailing the white noise of depression:
“With the stillness of dawn as a friend / I stare at the subtitles of foreign films.”
And “HELP ME” on the feelings of helplessness when one feels misunderstood.
“Why do I cry when nothing is happening / I do emotional labor
everyday / But nothing goes my way.”
While most of the songs stand as a collection of thoughts on his mental state, half of the 12 tracks reference a relationship gone awry, and in chronological order, they move together in a thematic upswing. With “긴 꿈 (Daydream) ft. LEE HI,” B.I begins by feeling empty with denial and half-convinced he’s in a dream, but by “근땐 내가 (Then)” the lyrics turn apologetic as he expresses his reasoning for why things went wrong on his end, and hopes for a chance to do better in the future.
“Re-Birth” wraps up WATERFALL on an optimistic note, with B.I looking toward the future rather than burdening himself with events of the past:
“In my next life, I’ll go looking for you / We will meet again by chance”
“Even if I’m thrown into a distant universe / I think it’ll be fine.”
