Album Review: Shin So Hee 1st Mini-Album

Shin So Hee (신소희) – 1st Mini-Album

Shin So Hee is a newer artiste that not many have heard of. In 2005
however, she won the Gold Prize at a Youth Festival for best vocalist.
Her debut has gotten a little attention due to the title track
featuring artistes like Wheesung and Lee Seung Chul. It has also ranked
on a few charts. The young artiste has also been performing live as
well as a guest act in concerts such as Sweet Sorrow’s, and has been
studying music in Seoul Art College, where artistes such as Lim Jeong
Hee and Chae Yeon have gone. With so much experience she’s gaining,
it’s no doubt that she will have a promising future.

Purchase this album

그랬단 말이야 is a mid-tempo R&B track that includes a wide array of guest vocalists and is the type of song that you want to sing along to. Still, Shin So Hee does the majority of the vocals, with the other singers adding in a few adlibs and harmonies throughout, as to not push the young artiste from the spotlight. The song itself might not sound too amazing, but it gradually builds into a powerhouse performance. The mixture of the keyboard, guitar, bass and extra synths, help the song progress while not overpowering the vocals. Shin So Hee’s voice is definitely one of the best female voices of the rookies this year. Though she does have a slight nasally tinge to her voice, she has quite a bit of control and is able to show off quite a bit of power. This is a very strong debut song that shouldn’t be missed out on.

In this mini-album, there are also 4 other tracks, which are all ballads with R&B influences. The best song out of those 4 is track 2 (지금 만나러 간다), which has a stronger musical arrangement. Unlike the title track which showed off Shin So Hee’s power, this song shows off her versatility and technique. She does a great job controlling her switch from chest to falsetto and sings with ease throughout the song. Another great track is track 4 (하나뿐인걸). The song is slightly slower than the previous songs reviewed and has a more traditional ballad feel to it. The song doesn’t really stand out at first compared to some of the others, but once it gets rolling, it’s definitely the type that grows on you. Starting with a quieter arrangement, the song brings in more instruments as it progress, until it hits the final chorus where the song’s pace is slightly increased. This style really fits Shin So Hee’s vocals as she’s able to bring out more strength.

At first, one might be sceptical as to how well this new artiste might sing, but she really shows a lot of potential. She’s not the strongest yet, but given more time to grow, she’d definitely be able to blow anyone away with her voice. This mini-album is definitely a very well-done debut. Though the majority of the songs are slow, Shin So Hee is able to expand on that area and show off her versatility.

4/5

5/5 – Even if you’re not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 – I don’t think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 – You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.