[Review] James An – I have no friends and I must party

James An is back with his first EP ‘I have no friends and I must party’. We’re super stoked, so let’s take a closer look!

I have no friends and I must party

We start off with the track ‘GTA (Grand Thank Auto)’. This is the first title track of three. This is such a great vibe. I’m in love with the hook and the brass sample is fantastic. James does a really good job using his rhythm and brings fun distortions of his voice which creates a dialogue style.

Next up is ‘Way too many’. These lyrics go hard on a sick beat and a chorus that begs you to vibe along to.

I be feelin’ like my feelings on the line
my family’s dreams on hold all the time
on the other side waitin’ for the right
moment for a conversation don’t worry yeah I’m on it

James An – Way Too Many

The second title track ‘ A Streetcar Named Desire’ came out on the pre-release single album ‘Dog’s Desire’ which we wrote about here. That goes for the track ‘Sasha’ as well.

Check out the double music video below.

‘For Eva’ sticks with the old Hollywood instrumental. This is literal poetry mixed with jazz. James goes for a languid rap, more of a storytelling vibe which creates an intimate experience, all the while a saxophone is going wild in the back. This is awesome.

swerving through your world we need no insurance
chillin’ on your soul I could rest a minute
before we come round with another reason
wishing I’d be found in your driver’s seat
lookin’ through your eyes I see a universe
stars already dead but we see ’em lurk
blinding lights shooting underneath the dust

James An – For Eva

‘Children’s Day’ comes up next. An is spitting out his frustration about the current political climate of both Korea and the US. It’s an honest, raw portrayal of everything that’s wrong with the world and makes for an honest track that hits home – wherever that might be in the world.

After that comes ‘Misanthrope’. We’re going alien-esque for this. The synth instrumental recreates the UFO vibe while we have to wonder who’s the human and who’s the alien. This goes hard even though it’s the shortest track of the album.

The last title track and closer of the album is ‘Who am I and Where am I’. We’re going clubbing with this one. The beat goes wild and creates this ambience that makes you feel drunk and disoriented. It’s a ride!

Overall, James An did a fantastic job with ‘I have no friends and I must party’. It’s honest, cinematic and well crafted. What a delight to listen to.

Go check it out here on Spotify.