It seems to be the year of soloists. I have been impressed by many soloists this year and Woodz (also known as Seungyoun) is on that list.
In his first full length album “Equal”, he blends different genres to showcase the different sides of himself musically while maintaining his style in each track.
Seungyoun debuted in 2014 in the group UNIQ and debuted as a soloists under his stage name Luizy in 2016 but he changed his stage name to WOODZ in 2018. In 2019 he participated in Produce X 101 and made it to the official group X1. Now that UNIQ is on hiatus and X1 disbanded WOODZ has been focusing on his solo work.
Woodz blends the K-hip hop/R&B world and Kpop together. He has collaborated with producer Cha Cha Malone and artists such as Babylon, Eden, and Sumin. In his album “Equal” he continues collaborating with respected artists such as Colde and Punchnello.
LIFT UP
LIFT UP is a solid start to the album. Woodz scream-sings in the chorus with a strong empowering message “I rise. I bet my all. Not done. A ray of light in the darkness…” This track is a statement, Woodz is telling the world that he isn’t done, he’ll keep running forward and rise.
Accident
This track perfectly showcases how incredible Woodz vocals are. He hits the high notes so effortlessly while conveying so much emotion. This is a strong song and I’m glad he’s been able to perform it live. This track is a hidden treasure.
Love Me Harder
Check out my reaction video to WOODZ “Love Me Harder” MV
The song is instantly captivating with the whistle in the beginning and his soft high notes and the guitar. Love Me Harder is a catchy song with an addicting hook. The music video is equally as interesting. The storyline was well thought out and perfectly executed. You have to see the music video until the end to find out what really happened. I like to think of it as a Bonnie and Clyde story mixed with a grim reaper of sorts. I’m amazed how he is able to play two different people so easily, makes me wonder if Woodz has any plans on becoming an actor. His evil character is truly captivating to watch.
NOID
Now this is a slightly darker song. Musically this track is smooth (like his voice) with a nice beat. The lyrics however are a bit sad as Woodz expresses he could be paranoid and wants to be alone. It sounds like he is having an internal struggle. There’s more to the song but I’ll let you interpret the lyrics however you want.
Waikiki
This is the song that features Colde. It has a different vibe to it than the previous songs on the album so far. It’s a groovy chill track (sorry for my not-so-great description it’s a catchy song okay). Colde’s deep voice and Woodz high notes are a good balance. I mentioned in my video that this would be the perfect song to play while cruising in the car on your way to a beach.
Buck
This track features Punchnello. It’s extremely addicting. From the first few seconds, to the chorus, and to the bridge, I couldn’t stop bobbing my head to it. I think out of all the tracks this one is the most experimental. It was well produced and Punchnello and Woodz was definitely a collaboration we needed. They each added their own style to the song and I would love to see them both perform this together in the future.
Memories
From the moment I heard this song I knew it would be my favorite. It’s a slower song with a simple melody played in the piano with a soft guitar. Woodz voice is the softest we hear on the album. The whole song sounds like a lullaby but the message is bittersweet and beautiful. Once again we see Woodz duality. In Buck he’s a charismatic go getter and in this song he is soft and vulnerable.
I’m glad Woodz continues to move forward in his music career. I think he is a rare gem in the music industry. He is able to blend two different worlds (musically) into his songs, bringing together K-hip hop fans and Kpop fans to enjoy his music.
If you haven’t listened to any of Woodz previous songs I highly recommend you check them out as well (along with this album).
Overall this was a great comeback. Woodz solidified himself as a strong soloist who brings something different into the music scene and I love it.
-EliMarie
I talk more about KPOP on my channel YouTube.com/elimariereacts
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