Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
My introduction to Beautiful Jin was on the ‘Winter Dreams‘ compilation album. That’s when I learned that Beautiful Jin was also the vocal and guitarist for 24 Hours. His vocals are distinct, so it wasn’t a surprise to hear his voice, but the different genre from the British-rock that 24 Hours played was interesting, as ‘Closer‘ is a bit more electronic pop and rock. Even though it was released at the end of the year, it comes through as a summer EP.
“It’s a Beautiful” gets things started, and you are immediately introduced to this upbeat and bright track. Using this song as the introduction is perfect because it shows listeners what to expect. “True Romance” is a little slower. It establishes a groove early on with the instrumentals and that doesn’t stray throughout the rest of the song. It’s interesting to hear Beautiful Jin sing with a little more calmness in his voice since the songs by 24 Hours are higher energy requiring a lot of effort. “True Romance” is like watching waves at the beach.
As you move into “Closer,” it becomes more apparent that Beautiful Jin was looking to explore different genres outside of the 24 Hours camp. His voice proves to fit this new genre well, as it mixes with the instrumentals and the laid back tone continues well. “To Be With You” has a strange combination of 80s synth pop and indie pop. It’s a calming song that feels like it could have been the lead single.
‘Closer’ is a great exploration into a new genre by Beautiful Jin. Regardless of his work in 24 Hours, this separate project should continue. Even though the songs are a little repetitive on this release in composition, exploring and composing more will lead to some new classic songs in the electronic pop world.
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