Neo-Cultural Technology (NCT) IT boy and leader, TAEYONG, returns with a solo comeback in the mini album, TAP, a follow-up to his first solo debut mini album, “SHALALA.”
The six-song mini album was released on Feb.26 and explores the motif and story line ¨Searching for TY,¨ a manifestation of him tapping into a more carnal side of himself, evoking his vulnerabilities through multiple genres.
¨He has variety, and the album perfectly encapsulates that,¨ said OH junior Noely Ballines.
As his second solo work, TAEYONG’s musical non-conformities stand out in his traversal of unconventional concepts rarely explored by other artists, especially in K-pop.
¨TAP gives TAEYONG a way to express his musicality through genres which he hasn’t been able to before,¨ said OH senior Sofia Sgro. ¨As always, his rapping is awesome. The vocals that he delivered on this album are like nothing we have heard from him before, he really is an all-rounder.¨
The music video for the title track TAP doesn’t shy away from the air of unconventional maximalist concepts Taeyongfs (fan name for TAEYONG fans) recognize him for. Each scene in the MV features him assuming multiple different personas, embarking on a wild goose chase throughout Japan in search of a dango. TAP is heavily ridden with absurd rap verses that juxtapose his deep vocality, all providing a testament to his overall aesthetic and art.
“A thing that I really enjoyed was hearing him actually sing in the b-sides,¨ said Ballines. ¨TAEYONG is known as a rapper so hearing Moon Tour was a nice change from his usual rapping.¨
Moon Tour is an exceptionally unique track for TAEYONG to release, with pillowy vocals replacing sharp rap lyrics.
The song starts out with a recording of what seems to be an old radio recording of the moon landing of 1969. This recording is accompanied by a gentle piano and an airy, swirling sound. This is followed by a vacuum sound that crescendos to grab the listener’s attention immediately.
There is a pause in this sound as we are hit with striking vocals, and as the vocals continue, it sounds almost as if the vacuum’s pressure has been released.
After this release, the vocals become more airy with a dispersed vocal effect. Along with the start of the vocals, we experience another layer of production, the addition of a bass and a beat, which bounce perfectly with the instrumentals as a whole.
The song turns back to mostly just piano as it switches to a light rap verse, before going back to vocals and leading into the rest of the production we heard before, leading into a repetition of the chorus.
After this repetition, and before the final repetition, we are hit with another rap verse, still differing from the previous rap verse, but with the same soft feel.
“Moon Tour” is a refreshing change of pace from his usual musical style, while still blending that nostalgic sound his fans love into some of the verses, and still superbly softening that sound for the mood of the song. The title is profoundly accurate, with the space-esq sounds melted into the mix of instrumentals, as well as vocal effects to make the listener feel as though TAEYONG is floating in space.
In the track “Run Away,” TAEYONG diverts from musical concepts previously heard in other tracks on the EP.
¨The pop-punk feel on this track gives TAEYONG an outlet to explore genres he hasn’t been able to before,¨ said Sgro.
Compared to the vivacious sound commonly associated with him, ¨Run Away¨ is an emotionally charged song that pulls on nostalgic sentiments.
The track “APE” pushes into the atypical, infringing on the noise music genre. At the start, “APE” rhythmically attacks the listener with its heavy bass and addicting drum beats juxtaposing the moments of recollection the listener gets as the song fades towards the end creating a sense of calmness. Additionally, if the song were to be put on repeat, the inhale taken by TAEYONG would mend the ending and beginning of the song perfectly into one. Vocally, TAEYONG explores versatility in tone with overconfident rap vocals that are contradicted by almost repentant whispering in other parts.
A concept video posted to TAEYONG’s Instagram for the song “APE” explores the ¨Searching for TY¨ storyline. Played by TAEYONG, the video features a fanatic dedicated to finding TY (TAEYONG). The fan-crazed search comes to an end when the eclectic figure composed of white light (which represents TY) he encounters reaches out to him as they both come together in unison.
¨If a search for the self is the meaning of this motif, then I like it,¨ said Sgro when asked for an interpretation, ¨Everyone can relate to trying to find themselves, so it’s a very inspiring theme.¨
“TAP” doesn’t disappoint as a second solo debut mini-album, in fact, it goes further with its strong concept and musicality that’s unconfined to one genre, something that leaves fans hopeful about his future work.
42Fiftys very own post-niche internet micro-ecelebrity (mid geoguesser player) that lived through a chronic gas leak that was going on in their house for a little over a year without their knowledge. Their only qualification is that they bring a silly goose vibe to the geese party.
This is my first year publishing articles on 42fifty. I am in my senior year at Oswego High School. I am involved in a variety of extracurriculars, including WE Club, the Muslim Student Association, the Oswego High Coalition, and the National English Honors Society.
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