The BLANK Shop (Yun Seokcheol) released his first full length album ‘TAILOR’. The Antenna Music artist has some amazing collabs on this album, so I’m stoked. Yun Seokcheol is a jazz pianist
TAILOR
We start the album off with the song ‘AmoneThat’sCapone’ featuring none other than one of our favorite artists Sunwoo Jung A. Everything about this song is incredible. Sunwoo Jung A’s vocals as always are superb. The instrumentation is so DOPE. The jazz piano with the saxophone and the trombone keep it going funky and groovy. She’s even scatting at one point. Ugh, I’m in love with this.
Next up is ‘No place to retreat’ featuring 10cm. They open the single with a little analog moment, before smoothly going to 10cm’s vocals. The guitar and the bass work so well together in this one. The bridge makes everything a little quieter and then throws in some beautiful harmonization?! Like, hello, it’s illegal to be this good.
Ha Heonjin is featured on the next song ‘How can I live without love’. We open with a bit of dialogue and some jazzy piano. This track is insane. There’s a touch of country with the riff they’re playing on the guitar and that mixed with the vocals is *chef’s kiss*. Also, hello random drum solo that is fire. After listening to this track you’ll be inclined to wear a cowboy hat and go on that lonesome road.
The fourth track is ‘Lazy mornings’. This is an instrumental track and goes down smoothly like a glass of wine. In the album description they wrote that this song is a wake-up call for late sleepers. Yun Seokcheol is even whistling and honestly, it’s adorable.
WONPIL from DAY6 is the next feature on ‘Love Song’. WONPIL’s soft voice works so well for this track. The piano feels very romantic with the brass bringing some tension in. I love the fact that WONPIL is branching out a little. I really like the fact that he collabed with another pianist, that’s awesome.
‘We are all Muse’ featuring Yerin Baek follows that. The strings in this are insane. I think they’re playing pizzicato, meaning they pluck the strings. God, this song goes to so many places and I LOVE it. Yerin Baek’s vocals are absolutely stunning and I will never get enough of it.
Next up is ‘Stay At Home’ which according to the album intro Seokcheol also wrote at home. This is another instrumental and for the first time, it is almost completely electronic. I write almost, because about halfway an actual piano comes in. He created a very spacious, ambient sound. If you need something to listen to while studying, this is IT.
Next up
CADEJO, who we featured in our Korean Indie/Rock Bands Part 8 is the next feature on ‘Kick The Radio’. It’s another instrumental but on the groovier, more playful side of things. There are some 8bit sounds thrown in, some groovy bass and some fun drums.
We’re already on the ninth track with ‘Ensemble’. This one is a skit, because he noticed a weird sound during the playing.
‘LAN Escape’ is up next featuring none other than label mate Lee Jin Ah. This one makes me so happy! It’s a wonderful blend between synths and classical instruments. Of course Lee Jin Ah makes it even better. I was in awe when they added the cacophony of sounds to then suddenly swerve into a beautiful jazz orchestra moment.
After that we get the single ‘Mold in closet’. This is almost rap! The monotonous rapping with the several layers was amazing and honestly, the hip hop scene better watch out.
‘Yawning Song’ comes after that and if you missed some softness in this album so far, you finally have it. It’s one of the simplest songs so far but it feels so tender and sweet. I wish I could lay down in a meadow somewhere to take a nap.
Track number 13 is ‘500,000’. We’re blessed with a beautiful piano melody. I wish I could keep this song in a pocket next to my heart, just to keep it in case there’s a rainy day someday. This is so lovely.
We close the album with another collab. This time Hello Ga-Young is featured in the song ‘What I can’t do’. This is the only song where Seokcheol doesn’t have writing credits for the lyrics. Apart from this he penned everything. Ga-Young’s vocals are super soft and I really need to do a deep dive into her discography because WOW.
Overall
‘TAILOR’ by The BLANK Shop is amazing. I’m utterly in love and if this doesn’t at least get a nomination for Album Of The Year I’ll be very disappointed because in my eyes it deserves it. If you want a variety of genres in one album, this is for you. I’m honestly in awe.
Yun Seokcheol wrote, composed and arranged pretty much everything himself. I’m shook by the talent in this one man.
You can find the album ‘TAILOR’ by The BLANK Shop on Spotify here.
