I know I’m a bit late in writing this but I couldn’t not post about Zico’s album. I’m sure most of you know Random Box is the last album Zico released before enlisting in the military.
Zico is one of those artists who is a chameleon. He’s done multiple genres from rap, hip hop, pop, dance, and even ballads. He has expressed himself in different ways through his music videos and performances. He’s the leader of the Kpop boy group Block B, but he’s also established himself as a strong soloist. In 2019 he opened up his own agency, KOZ.
Earlier this month Zico released his latest ep Random Box. I filmed my reaction listening to this album for the first time HERE.
Check out my reaction to Zico’s “Summer Hate” mv here.
The first song is the title track, “Summer Hate” (featuring Rain). The song has some tropical vibes to it complete with (very) relatable lyrics. It’s the perfect song to play on a very hot summer day. Yes, the music video is out there and weird but it’s Zico and I love that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. It was fun watching the interaction between Zico and Rain especially the part when they do the choreography in the chorus.
The second track on the album, “Cartoon”, is a playful love song that compares meeting a girl and his feelings for her like a cartoon show.
“This scenery, like from a cartoon…”
“Never seen a character like this before…”
“From the first appearance scene, not even with a line I’ve been overwhelmed. Whenever I encounter you a mellow background music comes on from somewhere.”
The drums, base, and guitar gives me a retro 1960s vibe to it. The music video (like any of Zico’s music videos) is very interesting. It takes place in a sort of dystopian future where he is alone living his life until he accidentally meets a girl. The girl in the music video is actress Park Joo Hyun who starred in the K-drama Extracurricular.
The third song is one of my favorites. “Love and Hate” (feat. Bibi) has beautiful harmonization. The collaboration with Zico and Bibi was a great fit for this track. The song expresses the frustration of having a love/hate relationship with your partner almost like a Tom and Jerry dynamic (as said in the song).
Is it really a Zico album is if it doesn’t have a diss track?
“No you can’t” offers Zico fans the familiar rapid raps he is known for. One of my favorite lyrics is “The only thing lacking is sleep and Vitamin D”. I definitely got a kick out of hearing that because I relate to that line (I’m sure most of you can too).
In complete contrast to “No you can’t”, “Roommate” is like a sweet milkshake. The lyrics are gentle and loving. It’s a tender love song and it reminds me of a 2020 version of his 2016 song “I Am You, You Are Me”. Zico expresses to his love that they are like one person because they know each other so well. They’ve reached the part of their relationship that they feel comfortable around each other. It’s a laid back song with a chill drumbeat, electric guitar and melody. Perfect to play if you’re having a lazy summer day, especially if you’re with your significant other. I think everyone strives for the type of relationship Zico sings about in this song, it’s beautiful and genuine.
Although we won’t be receiving any new music from Zico any time soon, at least he has gifted us with this fun album we can replay (along with his previous albums) for the time being.
-ELIMARIE
I talk more about KPOP on my channel YouTube.com/elimariereacts
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