Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Chinese artist Kris Wu released his debut album, titled “Antares,” on Friday. Wu is a former member of K-pop boy group EXO. “Antares” is a hip-hop/rap album and features Rich the Kid, Jhene Aiko and Travis Scott. It seems common for solo artists to go from one genre to the other, and sometimes it works. This album definitely is a hit for a lot of different reasons but has its misses too.
I was first and foremost impressed that he did most of the album in English, even though he is of Chinese origin. His voice, whether he was singing or rapping, flowed very well and sounded effortless. Going solo gives the listeners a chance to hear from him more than if he was in a band.
This album is similar to others in the same genre because there is no message in any of the songs. These are just songs about money, cars and women. However, it is easy to play at a party or driving in your car. The listener could easily listen to the whole album without realizing it.
The title song, “Antares,” is the first song on the album. This track really drew me in from the beginning because it reminds me of something Travis Scott would make. It’s one of those tracks that will make it big on the charts.
“November Rain” is the second song on the album. It’s not a personal favorite, but I can see this being someone’s favorite. “November Rain” isn’t able to make me get up and get hyped.
Another song on the record, “Coupe,” has a Rich the Kid feature. As with the other track, it isn’t moving. It isn’t a terrible song. It’s just missing something. But what? A faster beat? Different lyrics? It is not easy to figure out, but whatever it is doesn’t take away from the song as a whole.
“Tian Di” is one of the two songs that are in Chinese. This song has a great beat. It is hard to say if it’s a good song or not because I have no idea what’s being said, but it is easy to rock with.
“Freedom” is the track that has Jhene Aiko on it. This song is another great one. Jhene’s vocals bring so much to the track. This song can easily be played on the radio or at clubs across the country. This song can easily be put on repeat.
“Deserve” is the track with Travis Scott on it. Scott is an amazing artist to have as a feature because he brings so much energy to tracks that he’s on. The lyrics are not really the best for little kids, but you can vibe to it. It’s very catchy.
Overall, I would say this is definitely an album that you should add to your playlist. This album is a complete turnaround from being a K-pop boy band member to a solo artist making his own music.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Sydney Wagner, email [email protected].
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