PSY Returns After Five Years with a Killer Feature Lineup
Let’s face it, the K-Pop industry feels like it’s missing something when we don’t have PSY on the scene. It’s been a long five years. While many in the west may still see him as a joke because of his style, there’s no denying both the importance of him in the global expansion of K-Pop and the quality of the music he puts out. Each title release, PSY features a big name artist in some way, usually a girl group member, but this time he makes his grand return to the stage with none other than BTS’s SUGA at his side. Not only a feature, but SUGA also helped to produce the title track “That That.”
The Title
For full disclosure, SUGA is my ultimate bias so I’m almost guaranteed to love whatever he does. In previous songs he’s produced, he’s definitely not been featured so heavily, which was actually discussed in teaser videos before the release of the album. He tends to work on more hip-hop or R&B influenced tracks for artists in that genre, so PSY’s style is definitely new territory. It has a very distinctly PSY sound to it, and if I hadn’t known better I would have assumed it was PSY himself that composed this song. I think that really shows SUGA’s ability to understand the artist he’s working with. The best portion of the song is absolutely his own feature, where SUGA seamlessly introduces his rap verse. It’s completely different from the autotune vocals PSY had up until that point, but it still fits in perfectly with the melody. What I think is really best about this track is that it’s so upbeat and fun. PSY specializes in that type of release, but in this day and age it really feels refreshing to have something that is simply optimistic and fun when the internet is overflowing with doom and gloom.
Music videos are where PSY has gotten a lot of his recognition for the sheer ridiculousness of them, but we see that toned down somewhat in “That That.” Of course the scale is still insane, with a ton of backup dancers all dressed in uniquely loud outfits. The video has an old western theme, with both PSY and SUGA seen in flamboyant cowboy outfits. The dance is over the top and features lots of hip thrusts, another signature of the artist, but all of these over-the-top visuals make the video so much fun. SUGA makes his grand entrance by literally falling into frame after the first chorus, and while he does have his usual demeanor, we do also see a playful side to the rapper in some of the cutaway shots, which makes all of our hearts so warm.
K-Pop should be fun, and PSY reminds us of that. Won’t we all go crazy if we’re so serious all the time?
The Album
Sure, PSY has coined the silly over-the-top image, but you don’t have to dig much deeper to find a talented artist that collaborates with the most talented people in the industry. PSY 9th features 12 tracks and kicks off with the intro “9INTRO,” which surprisingly has a deep house melodic influence and was absolutely not what I was expecting. Intros tend to have the same melodic structure as the title, but this one is the total opposite. It is strangely groovy, even with PSY mostly relying on rap for the track.
After the title comes the first B-side “Celeb,” a standard pop track that has the PSY title feel but doesn’t pack quite the punch “That That” does. It has a softer feel all around. “You Move Me (feat. SUNG SIKYUNG)” is the second feature of the album, and is a soft acoustic track that contrasts PSY’s somewhat rough vocals with Sung Sikyung’s smoother and softer style. The more classical influences on this song definitely feel fitting for Sung Sikyung, but a bit different for PSY.
Next track “Sleepless (feat. HEIZE)” has one of his fellow label artists featured on the track. The song opens up very simply, with just an acoustic guitar driving the melody, and maintains that simplicity through the end. HEIZE definitely has the voice for this kind of simplistic melody, but PSY’s vocals aren’t as smooth until the final third of the song. Next up is “GANJI (feat. Jessi),” and here we finally have a track for our hip-hop lovers. Seeing a feature for Jessi would have definitely alluded to a harder hip-hop sound, but this goes even harder than I expected from the first note. The bass on this one might actually blow out your car speakers if you turn it up too high. Jessi’s rap verse is so gritty it gives me goosebumps and showcases the best of her ability.
Up next is “Now (feat. Hwasa),” a track that seems to be straight out of the ‘80s. The retro synth takes center stage from the moment the song opens, and it definitely is a style that fits Hwasa very well. We get the two harmonizing in the chorus, which provides a nice contrast in tone. Eighth track “Happier (feat. Crush)” returns to the more subdued acoustic ballad sound we heard at the beginning of the album. This style complements Crush and is a nice gift for those missing the singer while he’s away on his mandatory service.
“Hello Monday” breaks the feature streak and brightens up the mood once again with a classic pop acoustic sound. The brightness of this track feels a lot like spring, with a bright sound reminiscent of blooming colorful flowers. “Everyday” brings a bit of a different feel, with more EDM influences, but still has the same upbeat feel.
The last feature appears in track 11, “forEVER (feat. Tablo).” The song has a hip-hop base influence, but definitely doesn’t go as hard as Jessi’s feature track. The song has a nostalgic twinge to it, which makes it feel a bit melancholy. It’s definitely a fitting track for Tablo and matches his usual style with Epik High. The album ends off with “Dear Me,” an EDM pop track that ends the album on an upbeat note.
Overall PSY 9th has a pretty similar composition to his previous albums. The number of features are always nice, and there tend to be a few different genres within the album. PSY has a formula because it works, proven by his years on the music scene. Just because the man has a certain persona with his releases and many may consider him to not be a serious artist doesn’t mean that is anywhere near the truth. PSY’s mark on the K-Pop industry cannot be replaced, no matter what anyone says, and he continues to prove that with each consecutive release.