We’ve been rocking with BIG Naughty for a number of years now, and in the past, his releases have brought some much-needed comfort into our lives. With a couple of years active in the music industry now under his belt, let’s dive in and see what his latest release has to offer.

Pre-Release: “Fxxxnds (feat. Kim Minseok of Melomance)”

Released on January 29, “Fxxxnds (feat. Kim Minseok of MeloMance)” was the first taste of the upcoming album. In this track, we get a softer feel from BIG Naughty in the form of a woeful love confession. The track has a lot of raw, melancholy energy, telling the story from the perspective of unrequited love amongst an emotional acoustic melody. Those mournful lyrics build into an emotional release toward the final verse, and without even knowing the exact words to the song, it’s easy to feel the mood of the track.

Hopeless Romantic

The first track in this seven-song EP features Lee Suhyun of AKMU. It feels as though the pre-release single really set the tone of this album, as “Hopeless Romantic” opens as a soft piano ballad accompanied by BIG Naughty’s emotional vocals. The track remains subdued throughout, and Suhyun’s angelic and soft vocals provide a strong yet warm contrast to BIG Naughty’s more emotionally driven vocals. Their harmonization will definitely elicit goosebumps, especially as the song crescendos toward the end.

“Korean Ballad” is the second track of the album, and while it opens softer, the song picks up tempo to have a more pop-rock ballad feel rather than a classical one. It helps set the tone of the album while providing enough difference from the previous track to keep the overall sound interesting. It is a good lead into the pre-release single, which is next on the list. “Dot” comes in as the fourth song, and keeps the soft acoustic motif going, but with a brighter set of lyrics rather than the more regretful ones of the previous track. What stood out about this track was the interesting use of harmonization interspersed throughout the track. In addition, the song totally switches composition in the final third, giving us the first taste of a melody not totally dominated by simple acoustic beats. It was definitely a nice surprise and added a fairly epic impact.

“Sleepwalker (feat. Nochang)” has a bit more of a dreamy feel than the previous tracks, adding a bit more depth to the overall sound of the album. This is the first track we get with some semblance of rap, which is a bit surprising but not unwelcome. “One Last Poem” brings back the melancholy pop-rock ballad melody from earlier in the album, which makes it a bit nostalgic since it reminds me of a lot of popular music in the early 2000s. This track has a bit more rock influence in the melody, with heavier use of electric guitars and drums compared to other songs, which is also probably why it strikes a heavier chord in me too. 

The album closes out with “Papillion.,” and I have to say upon first listen it’s totally jarring since it feels so different from the rest of the album. The song opens with a very ‘80s-heavy synth melody, which stands in stark contrast to the other tracks of the album. As BIG Naughty’s vocals come in the melody shifts slightly to a more ‘80s pop feel. If you were really feeling the more emotional acoustic ballad feeling of the album, this song will definitely throw you for a loop. But I personally really like it, it adds a fresh new feeling to the album and to the soloists’ music in general. It feels like it could be a taste of a future release, possibly in a series.

As time goes on it feels like BIG Naughty is growing as an artist and really experimenting with a lot of different sounds in his music, and doing it well. That’s not an easy feat, especially if you come into the industry with a specific sound. Somehow, Hopeless Romantic struck a chord in me and provided me with some kind of emotional comfort, which I’ve really felt necessary these days. I’m glad to know his music won’t disappoint as he grows within the industry.

Edited by Deshalia Murray