Struggling to find that new artist to fall in love with? Fear not, our contributor Kess Leung is here with the latest and greatest musical recommendations of each week. In this edition, Kess highlights Korean-Canadian R&B/Soul musician SLCHLD.
Jang Doo Hyuk, whose stage name is SLCHLD (pronounced Seoul Child), is a Korean-Canadian alternative R&B/Soul artist who is known for his catchy tracks, sometimes with a hint of folk and hip-hop sprinkled in. Originally uploading his music on SoundCloud, SLCHLD quickly established himself as an exciting and promising musician in the Korean and global music scene, branching out diversely with his releases, including both Korean and English tracks on major music sites. The artist’s self-produced mellow instrumental melodies, often featuring an acoustic guitar and an infectious beat, pair well with his husky yet versatile vocals, giving off a comforting ambience. Since debuting in 2017, SLCHLD has put out countless singles and two EPs.
The title track ‘My insecurities, not yours’ is an urban mix of Korean and English lyrics, conveying a sombre and melancholic mood as the singer speaks about how someone is breaking through his walls, and is another favourite of mine.
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I first discovered SLCHLD’s music with his 2019 track ‘She likes spring, I prefer winter’, part of the EP ‘My insecurities, not yours’, my favorite release of his thus far. The chorus, “Winter or spring it don’t matter to me. As long as you’re here yeah, I can keep you warm ‘till spring comes”, reminds me of wintertime, and the song as a whole feels like a cozy, warm blanket. The title track ‘My insecurities, not yours’ is an urban mix of Korean and English lyrics, conveying a sombre and melancholic mood as the singer speaks about how someone is breaking through his walls, and is another favourite of mine.
Featuring SLCHLD’s falsetto, the track showcases his exceptional range and ability to control and manoeuvre his voice at will.
Recently, SLCHLD has diverged more into deep house and upbeat tempos, a break from his typical chilled-out style, collaborating with fellow R&B artist Oceanfromtheblue on his album ‘Aeries?’. Experimenting with trap instrumentals and hip-hop influences, the album is an interesting mix of R&B and Hip-hop. The track ‘Body of Gold 2’ features smooth transitions between addictive rap and velvety vocals, the subdued singing allowing for the layered instrumental to take centre stage. ‘U’ is a callback to SLCHLD’s older work, with the sorrowful vibe of the track being reflected in the lyrics ‘I know, you don’t like me. You make me wanna lose. I blame you all day, but you know I love you.’ Featuring SLCHLD’s falsetto, the track showcases his exceptional range and ability to control and manoeuvre his voice at will. ‘Paparazzi’ is another standout track from the project, with its nostalgic and relaxing vibe allowing collaborating artist Oceanfromtheblue to shine.
SLCHLD is clearly a hard-working musician, releasing new material frequently, especially in the last year. However, while he might be putting out one track after another, he still maintains a high quality throughout his whole discography. Looking at his musical growth since 2017, it is evident that Jang Doo Hyuk still has much to offer in the foreseeable future.
Kess Leung
Featured image courtesy of Paul Hudson via Flickr.
Article image courtesy of @slchld via Instagram.
Image use licence here.
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