Get IN the mood with Wheein
Whenever Wheein announces a new release, my expectations always shoot impossibly high. She has some of my favorite work in the Korean music landscape, and thus far, she’s yet to disappoint; I’m happy to say that her first full album, IN the mood, is no exception.
The Title Track
With every solo project she releases, Wheein’s work has grown more and more mature. In this sense, “In The Mood” has a bit of a retro R&B touch than Wheein’s past title tracks. It moves at a slower pace, with more emphasis on the bass than the treble as Wheein’s easy soprano floats overtop of the instrumentals. This is especially apparent when compared to past title tracks like “water color” or “Make Me Happy” which leaned into the dance aspects of R&B, leaving the more sultry side to her B-sides. While the whole of the song is dreamy and sensual like much of her solo work, “In The Mood” has a very grown-up sound to it—perhaps unsurprisingly, given the title. In the song, she sings of getting closer to a lover, never wanting the euphoric feeling to end.
The music video takes quite the different approach to the song, however, instead focusing on Wheein herself. She starts off the video at a house party before venturing on a road trip with friends. This part in particular is pretty stunning in the editing department, with details of the car being utilized in the cinematography such as when the back-up camera of the car is used to show a dance break. As a whole, the video showcases more choreography from the singer than usual, which is a treat given that she’s just as talented on the dancing front as she is on the singing one. The video culminates with the girls at a drive-in, with Wheein leading the charge as they dance in front of the big screen. It does end quite ominously, however, with a single blue butterfly exploding into dozens of red ones at the sound of a gunshot, revealing the letters “YKRETIELRPTL.” This has already, of course, sent fans into a frenzy as they speculate what this might hint for future projects from Wheein.
The Album
“I Know I Know I Know” serves as the atmospheric intro to the IN the mood, leading into the title track with ease. Following “In The Mood” is “17,” a song featuring Wheein’s fellow MAMAMOO member and long-time best friend Hwasa. It’s the first truly upbeat song on the album, with a beat that almost tiptoes on EDM territory. It’s not the song I expected from a “Wheesa” collaboration, but it’s simultaneously a track that’s right up my alley. “Spark” slows things back down with a beat and feel that’s similar to “In The Mood,” especially in the way it pulls from ‘90s R&B, sounding like something that could have come out of Mariah Carey’s catalog, or at the very least Ariana Grande’s songs that were given the same ‘90s treatment.
“Bite Me” features HAON and eases more into the hip-hop side of R&B, with Wheein exploring her lower register over a hip-hop beat. It’s a song with a little more edge compared to its predecessors and my only complaint is that I wish it was longer. “Dance 4 You” is another short but sweet love song that brightens the tone of the album at its halfway point. Following this is “On The Island,” a song with trap elements that slides back into the dreamier elements of the album’s opening. It’s a sexy vibe that suits Wheein perfectly, and she knows this. From what I’ve seen, “Aphrodite” already seems to be a fan-favorite, and it’s obvious why: it’s a clear standout on the album. The song has an off-kilter sound at first, with an unexpected whistle line behind Wheein’s vocals before drifting into something more familiar. Just as unexpected are the chant-like vocals in the chorus and the string elements in the second verse. All of these aspects come together as the song builds before coming to a soft close.
“Breeze” takes the classic K-Drama approach, and could easily be an OST on any romance series. Wheein’s vocals on this track are downright whimsical as she sings effortlessly over a light beat. “Bittersweet” is the closest to a ballad we get from the songstress on this release, but it hits just the way it needed to in its 2:25 runtime. The album closes out with Wheein’s self-written “Here I Am,” the only song to leave the R&B realm, deservingly putting Wheein’s voice front and center.
Wheein has one of the most cohesive discographies in the Korean music scene, and IN the mood is a testament to this. She knows what she’s good at, but at the same time, she’s not afraid to push boundaries with her talent. That being said, I’d love to see her do even more as her solo career flourishes, and for this, I wait with baited breath.