Hanbin (aka. B.I) just released his long awaited regular album ‘WATERFALL’. A couple of months ago he released the single album ‘Midnight Blue (LOVE STREAMING)‘ and fans were looking forward to this new release marking his official comeback to the music industry.
B.I has been spoiling fans the last couple of weeks with incredible song previews and even live performances of some of the tracks included in this album. Let’s begin and check out the music, I’m sure we are in for an emotional journey.
WATERFALL
B.I opens this release with some unreal rap delivery in ‘WATERFALL‘. This track sets the mood for this album with killer beats and I really liked the layering of the backing vocals. We go into the title track ‘illa illa‘; this song has a very trendy electronic melody that is just perfect for a summer release. Lyrically it’s raw, honest and gives an insight of his thoughts.
The music video is stunning, Hanbin had me blown away with his facial expression and acting, he showed a new side of himself as an artist and I just have to say that he is incredibly talented. Check the music video below and make sure to turn on the subtitles.
Featuring Lee Hi we get the track ‘Daydream‘, this is a duo I will never get enough of. Together they are incredible and they really complement each other’s vocals and style. This song is soft and the melody super sweet and kinda sentimental.
B.I’s sweet vocals open up ‘Numb‘. This track mixes a bit of his rapping and singing with a very cool instrumentation. The bass is super smooth and it just gets better with the inclusion of the drums.
With a very alternative electronic track ‘Illusion‘ plays, the full combination with B.I’s rapping is super interesting. I loved the vibe the melody gave to his delivery. It was super good and had a unique flow.
We reach half-way with ‘Flow Away‘, and the acoustic piano intro and outro for this song is AMAZING. This track brings out Hanbin’s raw rapping style mixed with a beautiful and well-done layering.
Second Half
The organ in ‘Help me‘ is seriously something else. It catches listeners’ attention just few seconds in and its pure emotional whiplash with a sad and yet hopeful feel. The electric guitar just makes it even more intense. PURE ART!
With a very drastic change we get some cute and playful beats in ‘Remember me‘. The melody in this song is wholesome and there is something in it that is just cheerful and at the same time a bit nostalgic.
‘STAY‘ plays next featuring Epik High‘s Tablo, this track is an easy listen. It flows organically with its electronic beats. Tablo’s rapping as usual was a killer, and B.I’s singing super good.
We go back to trendy and summery beats with ‘GRAY‘. I really liked how this song balances the rapping and the singing it keeps it interesting and fun. The bridge in this track is amazing and quite unexpected. The surprises just keep coming in.
A lovely piano melody starts ‘Then‘, and Hanbin really goes off with his rapping in this song and I LOVED his vocalization in the outro.
Ending this album is ‘Re-Birth‘. This track has a stunning melody that enhances the emotional load of this track. The mixing and layering are just incredible and powerful. This song was the perfect way to end this release.
A New Beginning
‘WATERFALL‘ is an album containing Hanbin’s story, and every single song has a particular meaning, if you want to check its description click here.
B.I really pulled off an amazing album with ‘WATERFALL’, he kept it raw and real, and he delivered with every single song. Make sure to check his pre-release single here, and you can listen to this album in his Spotify profile.
