SHINee’s Minho Releases his First Full Solo Album, CALL BACK
In an industry that continues to debut idols younger and younger into their teens, it’s always comforting to see adults that we grew up with continue to flourish in their artistic careers, despite the pressures of youthfulness. Sometimes it’s easy to feel out of place in the K-Pop space when teenagers start calling fans “hags” at the ripe age of 20, and literal children are taking the debut stage. Amongst all these constant subtle reminders of society’s value on youth, it’s a breath of fresh air to see idols well into their 30s proving they still have an important place in the industry. SHINee’s Minho is a prime example of this, as we’ve watched him debut over 15 years ago and find footing in this cutthroat business. And just like his presence as an artist, his music radiates comforting vibes as well. CALL BACK marks Minho’s first full album release as a soloist, and there’s a song for everyone on this album.
Tracklist
“CALL BACK”
“Slow Down”
“FIREWORKS (feat. SOHEE)”
“Came And Left Me”
“Something About U”
“Round Kick”
“Affection”
“I Don’t Miss You”
“Because Of You (feat. NINGNING)”
“Would You Mind”
I, for one, feel like Minho’s vocals are underrated. With his position as the main rapper in SHINee, he doesn’t get a lot of chances to allow his vocals to shine. I’ve always found his vocal tone to be particularly appealing, and that really shines in his solo work. He tends to lean more towards a retro R&B style in his music, which fits him very well. Title track for the album, “CALL BACK,” is a classic upbeat R&B track that features a prominent piano melody and rhythm guitar in the chorus. It has a simplicity that is soothing, a fit for the current autumn season. Summer is more associated with super upbeat tracks, but Minho’s music always feels like fall. While mellow, the track still has a bright tone to it that’s hard not to find infectious.
The music video I would say isn’t the appeal of this track, but it does have the classic SM video editing style with some seemingly random metaphorical shots interspersed with choreography. Minho tends to use a more muted color palette in his releases, which reigns true for “CALL BACK” as well. Perhaps this contributes to the more autumn feeling of his releases, since much of the shots take place at night and feature muted shades of brown, green, and blue. Even his pink jacket is a light pastel to blend with the scenery, as best as pink can anyway. The most standout portion of the video is definitely the choreography, which adds a fun element to the video.
Check out the music video below if you haven’t yet!
Edited by Lacey Diluvio