'how to be raw'

DARKROOM: roommates only; simon dominic

[reworked from 2018]

01. roommates only

as soon as i heard that opening melody, i fell in love and thought "i have listen to the rest of this album". 'roommates only' is a interesting start to an album. its very slow and lethargic, like moving through mud. but it sets the mood. the listener realises this is not going to be a "pretty" album. we're going raw. simon dominic spends the verses rapping over a relaxed reggae beat. because it's so slow, its already a twist on the reggae most people are familiar with. but the chorus has to be the highlight of the song. the vocals are very low to further add to the lethargic atmosphere. the bridge is also good. simon dominic is singing and it adds another layer to the song.

02. 06076

now this is the type of hiphop we all expect from the korean rapper. its still quite relaxed, it's not hyped trap that is common. this compliments the slow start to the album as we realise the emotions the artists wants us to experience. when i initially wrote the review back in 2018, i didn't like the chorus. but its since grown on me!

03. winterlude '17

one can tell this song is emotional right from the beginning. what i adore about this interlude is the details. the twinkling of the piano, the child's dialogue at the start, the saxophone. its a white christmas on 'winterlude 17', but its a sad one.

04. jung jin chul

the hook is repetitive lyrically, which is not uncommon in hiphop. but i'm not bothered by it because it's catchy. in the second verse, his tone is lower, but then his "hmmm" signals a return to his normal tone with a faster rap. that makes the second half of his verse more impactful.

of course, it can't be the gorgeous album i say it is without the DETAILS. yes, the details. he uses the piano at the very end of the song for an eerie effect to song.

05. bathtub (Prod. by GRAY)

immediately, the listener is pulled right in from the piano and this "impulse" one hears. whiplash comes soon after when a gritty boom bap beat is introduced for the verses. this beat is nasty. and this works really well for the purpose of the song. the title is 'bathtub' and it talks about washing yourself of all your bad parts.

"My tired body

And my tainted heart

Wash it all

Wash it all, please"

so the listener feels almost dirty hearing it, like they've sinned. gray did well to capture to lyrics in the music.

06. demolition man (feat. kim jong-seo)

'demolition man' is pulled along by the dull hi-hat and naturally, the piano. you'll find yourself nodding along, jamming sadly [insert gif of key and jonghyun - you know which one]. kim jong-seo was an excellent choice for a feature here. his tone is thick so it has soul. the perfect addition to melancholy hiphop. the saxophone solo at the end was also a beautiful touch to this raw track.

'demolition man' is emotive. i can feel the pain on his rap. on my first listen, i didn't look at the lyrics. without understanding what he's saying the listener is sucked into the story and you can't help but feel what he's feeling.

07. home sh*t home (feat. JINNO the superfreak)

at long last, the first upbeat song of the album and i'm in love. after hearing mellow and saddening music, this is placed well in terms of structure. the highlight is the chorus with JINBO's vocals in conjunction with the piano. however, in this instance, higher notes are used. underneath the chorus there is a faith high pitched melody. you can barely hear it but it adds to the lighter atmosphere of the track within a common hiphop sphere.

08. ullah

simon dominic ends the album with another upbeat song. i am so glad he ended in this way. after a gloomy beginning, ending with some light piano, a violin melody and a soft boom-bap beat brings hope. despite pouring out his soul and expressing his depression throughout the album, he reminds us that there is hope. we can feel alive again.

"When I live like I feel alive, I feel alive alive"

final comments

this album was released beyonce style. he announced it on release day because he was that confident in his work and quite frankly, the music speaks for itself. a key feature of this album is the small changes in the beats, especially in the tracks that are repetitive. the piano was also a dominant element and it was used so well. it's not a generic hiphop album. it's an emotive masterpiece with hiphop at its core.

ps. the entire album was composed and written by simon dominic himself. he is incredibly talented

fav songs: roommates only, winterlude '17, home sh*t home, demolition man

would i listen to it again? YES

rate: 9.2/10