For this week’s R&B Gem we are sharing the stunning discography of an indie artist that more people should know. Let’s dive into ABOUT’s music.
Jo Tae-Kyoung officially debuted in 2019 with the single ‘Wither’, however, before his debut he had already released OSTs for the dramas ‘Sky Castle’ and ‘My Fellow Citizens!’. His debut single was followed by the song ‘DIVE’ the same year.
In 2020 he dropped the single ‘Aching’, followed by his first extended play ‘Miserable’.
Soon after these releases, he came back with the single ‘Unhappy’, ‘Shall We?’ and ‘We Our Us’. ABOUT released two different versions for these tracks, needless to say all of them are beautifully done and soulful. Check them below, and make sure to read the lyrics.
First Album
At the end of 2020, ABOUT released albums, ‘Fortunate Islands Part.1 – Entrance’ and ‘Fortunate Islands Part.2 – Exit’.
The little tracks for these releases have a beautifully writing story behind them, for ‘People Have Not Been’, ABOUT expressed in its description:
“ Are our sadness and depression waiting for us behind happiness,
If so, should I stop this step?
From the entrance to these islands all the way to the exit,
I hope traveling together with my music will help resolve some of the
questions of depression hidden by happiness.”
Similarly for ‘What We Living For’, he introduced this single as a way to “(…)resolve some of the questions of depression hidden by happiness.” (Source: Youtube).
He started 2021, with the breath-taking single ‘Darker And Darker’, and continued on this year with the singles ‘Nightfall’, ‘Hi-Flower’, ‘Jay’ll Be Happier’ and ‘W.W.W’.
His last single for 2021, was a pre-release and one of my favourites songs by him, ‘Hennesy’ is a very underrated single that deserves a lot more attention for its immaculate vibe, and the smooth instrumentation in it.
The music video for this song is a visual masterpiece, the contemporary dance and concept just left me speechless. Watch it below.
Recent releases
ABOUT opened 2022 with the EP ‘ANGER’, marking the start of his trilogy ‘Empathy’. With the title track of this EP he changed the game with a disco feel and a rather alternative sound. The music video for this song closely followed the aesthetic of the pre-release, and it is absolutely dope. Check it below.
Throughout this trilogy ABOUT was looking to relate to others and their feelings through his music (source: ABOUT). With the first EP ‘ANGER’ he paid a tribute to one of the strongest emotions a person can experience, hoping to empty the listeners’ anger and sadness.
The trilogy continued on with his next EP ‘EROS’, a release about love, heartbreaks, courage and comfort, with the title track ‘Say Goodbye To The Bad Guys’, ABOUT brought a more acoustic sound with his flawless singing. This single is emotional, raw, and just a heartbreaking listen.
His latest release was the closure of his trilogy ‘Empathy’. With ‘CHILDHOOD’ he continued his storytelling but this time it was based on memories and moments that as he describes “(…) made me who I am today (…)” (source: MELON). This release is beautiful from start to end, a total non-skip.
ABOUT’s music is packed with stories for everyone, and each one of them have a series of emotions that aren’t as common to find in an entire discography. He is a total underrated gem that needs a lot more attention.
Dive into his music here, follow him on Instagram to keep up with his releases, and make sure to check his Soundcloud for exclusive tracks.
