DEAN. The new boss of the underground R&B Hip-hop arena. A sing-a-song writer who filled the K-Pop music charts with his Original Soundtrack (OST) for the TV drama Descendants of the Sun. A non-stoppable rookie who controls the flows of the music charts. DEAN was originally renowned as a producer of famous K-Pop idols including EXO and VIXX. Now he is here, and this time he is ready to surprise the world by singing with his own voice with his first album: 130 MOOD. 

DEAN launched his first official album called 130 Mood on March 24, and gained much popularity from the public since then. His album includes a total of seven songs such as “Pour Up (Feat. ZICO)”, “Bonnie & Clyde”, and “I Love It (Feat. Dok2)”. His songs have been extolled by many, as they are consistently on the Top 100 K-Pop chart. DEAN’s songs have been played in clubs as a remixed version, and played at cafes or restaurants all around the nation. 

The album, just like its title pinpoints, cannot seem to be defined in one adjective. At one point it is calm, but then again it is very catchy, relaxing, fun, exciting, and so much more all at once. However, one thing is for sure—one factor that definitely makes DEAN’s songs so attractive is his storylike lyrics. All his songs depict a story about love—falling in love, breaking up, having a one-night stand, and then getting back with his original lover.

However, if one listens to DEAN’s album sequentially, the story does not seem to connect. DEAN breaks the stereotype that the first track has to be the start of the story of his album; his story starts from the very last song, “21”, and ends with the very first song, “Ottae (Outro)”. To DEAN, the beginning is the end, and the end is the beginning. Through his peculiarity, listeners realize DEAN as an artist who denies convention and formality.

Surely, the biggest charm of 130 Mood is DEAN’s voice. Many people describe his voice as sexy—smooth as it mellifluously hums to the beat of the drumbeat in the background, and sharp as it pierces the ears of the listeners. This is probably why DEAN’s 130 Mood cannot be described by just one word—his voice is everything at once, and so are his songs, all a bedtime story that soothingly delivers his message and also a bottle of sprite that tickles one’s throat with every single sip. What is more surprising is that somehow his music constantly seems to be perfect for his voice, even though his voice consistently changes. 

A mellifluous melody that incorporates musical instruments such as the piano and guitar, along with catchy drumbeats in the background makes all nine tracks charming. “Bonnie & Clyde”, “Ottae”, and “I Love It” from the beginning of each song gives a magical atmosphere—it is as if DEAN’s drowsy voice takes listeners up to space, defying gravity. With “D”, “what2do”, and “Pour Up”, the tune of the songs seems to stick like glue to the listeners’ ear. They are all at once sweet, soft, and penetrating. This is what makes DEAN one of the hottest sing-a-song-writer today, an incredible artist that is worth all the attention. 

▲ 130 Moods TRBL cover jacket. Provided by kstar-mp3.us