Revisiting Some of Our K-R&B Favorites
Photo: ESTR
Sometimes it’s a little uncanny how quickly time passes by, especially when we look back and see how many releases have popped out regularly in the Korean entertainment world. With so many talented artists releasing so many songs, a lot of our old favorites can sometimes lose their place in the shuffle rotation. Today we’ve compiled a list of some of our K-R&B favorites that never fail to withstand the test of time.
“더럽게 (DIRTY LOVE)” - SUMIN & Zion.T
SUMIN and Zion.T are two artists that go together like peanut butter and jelly. Something about their distinctive vocal tonality comes together in seamless harmony, and they both exemplify a particularly quirky creative style. The 2020 release “더럽게 (DIRTY LOVE)” was their first collaboration, and it’s been on our heavy rotation list for those six years. The track has a light, groovy melody that exudes a playful aura, contrary to the more serious lyrics. Perhaps it’s because the song found me in a time in my own life when I really felt the weight of the lyrics, particularly the final verse; because it resonated hard, it’s always been a comfort track, no matter how much time passes.
“풀어 (Pour Up)” - DEAN feat. ZICO
It’s been ten years since DEAN released 130 mood: TRBL, but even to this day it may be one of the most celebrated K-R&B releases of all time—it’s that iconic. The title track “풀어 (Pour Up)” is a pillar of the album, featuring the prominent rapper ZICO on the track. The melody is about as classic R&B as any song can get, and DEAN’s buttery-smooth vocals shine above all else as he croons about the confusing feelings of falling in love. DEAN is such a prominent talent in the industry that it’s such a shame we hear from him maybe once a decade at this point. Please return home to us, king.
“Cave Me In” - Gallant x Tablo x Eric Nam
In 2017, this bombshell collaboration between Gallant, Epik High’s Tablo, and soloist Eric Nam dropped and was life-changing, at least in our opinion. This was one of the first all-English track collaborations with a western artist to drop in the scene, and it exemplifies the brilliance possible when outstanding artists come together to collaborate genuinely, showcasing the strengths of all three of them without one outshining the other. This may have been one of Eric Nam’s best performances in his career, with his verse being the most memorable even all these years later. It’s a shame we only got a single out of this, as an entire album would have been a masterpiece for sure.
“해야해 (heyahe)” - ONE
Back in the day, there was a ton of hype surrounding ONE and his debut. He’d previously made the rounds in the industry first as part of duo 1Punch (with Kim Samuel, a former favorite in Produce 101), and then signing with YG Entertainment, participating in seasons 4 and 5 of Show Me the Money, even achieving a perfect all-kill for one of his tracks on the show. Debut single “해야해 (heyahe)” is a chill, lofi-inflected track, the sensual beat giving just a glimpse of the surprisingly suggestive lyrics. This certainly wouldn’t fly in mainstream K-Pop, but thank god we have more than that. The chorus is so addictive that it’s guaranteed to get stuck in your head for days.
“WINE (Feat.Changmo) (Prod. SUGA)” - Suran
If Prod. SUGA is in the credits, we know it’s going to be a certified banger. Suran is a singer that back in the day was known for her association with SUGA, collaborating on a number of tracks with him for both of their solo careers. She possesses a characteristically high vocal register, making her music very distinct. “WINE (Feat.Changmo)” has a relaxing beat that’s complemented by Suran’s yearning vocals that pull on your heartstrings building up to the gorgeous chorus. The production, vocals, and Changmo's feature verse each contribute to a cohesive, well-structured track.