ALBUM REVIEWS
Every decade has its pop king. The 2000s were dominated by Justin Timberlake as he shimmied into the spotlight solo, away from his *NSYNC bandmates. The 2010s belonged to Justin Bieber, the Canadian singer presenting a modern teen icon. So far, the 2020s have been lacking one huge male solo star that reigns over the pop world but, with ‘Golden’, BTS’ Jungkook proves he’s more than up to the task.
Known as the “golden maknae” (or golden youngest) of the world-conquering group, the 26-year-old singer has often been spoken about as if he has the Midas touch no matter what he tries his hand at. While Jungkook’s creative contributions to his debut solo album are limited – he has no writing or production credits, but is described as having “curated” these songs to “reflect his artistry” – he embodies each song’s emotions and style with ease; a musical chameleon becoming each new sound.
‘Golden’ is a story of two halves. On the first, upbeat and light-hearted, Jungkook shares vignettes about falling in love and standing strong in a relationship. Opener ‘3D’, featuring Jack Harlow, snared a lover over 2000s pop, while first single ‘Seven’ with Latto sets either a romantic (in the clean version) or lust-filled (the “explicit” version) sentiment to UK garage beats. Lead single ‘Standing Next To You’ takes things more retro, mining funk grooves and disco flashes as Jungkook promises: “They can’t deny our love / They can’t divide us / We’ll survive the test of time.”
The album might do well at showing Jungkook’s ability to mould himself to a variety of sounds but, on both halves of the record, the best songs are those that feel like classic pop king anthems. On the first half, that’s ‘3D’ and ‘Yes Or No’, the latter written by and featuring Ed Sheeran on guitar. “Are you feeling the rush?” the BTS singer asks earnestly in the bright, simple chorus. “If so, then I think I know what’s going on / Are we falling in love? / Say yes or no, yes or no, yes or no.”
The second half of ‘Golden’ charts much heavier feelings – those that come after suffering heartbreak and trying to make it through a break-up. Its timeless highlights come in the form of ‘Hate You’ – a piano ballad co-written by Shawn Mendes that finds its narrator forcing himself to hate an ex to make things easier – and ‘Too Sad To Dance’. Although the latter sometimes veers into cliched lyricism, its clean melodies and Jungkook’s portrayal of someone hopelessly heartbroken are strong enough to save it.
Largely, though, the record plays it incredibly safe and, although Jungkook curated the tracklist, it doesn’t feel like an album he and he alone could have released. Would another contender pull off the songs as well as him? Perhaps not, but there’s still a hollowness at its core. Regardless, that won’t stop Jungkook’s star from ascending even further into new stratospheres. The 2020s have found their pop king and ‘Golden’ more than secures him the throne.
ALBUM REVIEWS
2024 has been a big year for Lip Critic, who are well on their way to becoming one of the next great New York bands. The quartet – comprising Bret Kaser, Connor Kleitz, Daniel Eberle and Ilan Natter – have spent the past half-decade building a loyal and sizeable hometown following that has, in recent months, caught the attention of music fans across the other side of the Atlantic.
Lip Critic make music that is both freewheeling and fun – with a thrillingly dark, Frankenstein-esque edge to their sound and aesthetic. They have played alongside rappers, hardcore bands and dance acts – and toured with IDLES and Geese – with NME describing their live show as “a pulsating rush of energy” in a five-star review last November. “You never know what sound is going to pop up next – our focus is to not get pinned down into a set of aesthetics, but to stay nimble” Kaser previously told us.
Opener ‘It’s The Magic’ bursts into life with a set of heavy 808s followed by contrasting rhythms. “I told them take their grace / And send it where it came / Only the generous get to live another day,” Kaser sings, evoking a sense of danger. ‘The Heart’ follows, diving headfirst dives into skittish, almost anxiety-inducing drum patterns – it’s wild and brilliantly unnerving.
’Bork Pelly (featuring Gösh and ID.Sus)’ is a perfect fusion of The Prodigy and ’90s hip-hop influences. ‘Death Lurking’ (featuring Izzy Da Fonseca), meanwhile, offers a change of pace, an atmospheric number that builds into a skippy beat fit for headbanging.
Throughout ‘Hex Dealer’, Lip Critic prove why they are the band of the moment. A full-on, disruptive force emerging from their city’s underground scene – their music rides high on a bolt of infectious energy.
