Album Review: Aziatix

This is the day Aziaddicts have been waiting for, Aziatix have finally released their ep!

            This five track EP is the RnB brain child of the very talented produced Jae Chong, who has worked with such talent as Kanye West and kpop superstars JYJ. Eddie Shin, Nicky Lee, and Flowsik are the three artists that make Aziatix (the name of the group as well as the label,) and with such a collection of talent, is it any wonder that this release is a must buy?

Track 1 is called “GO” and is the very first single and MV from the group. The song starts with a sweet piano melody that is entwined with the smooth vocals of Eddie. The synths kick in and then Flowsik starts rapping. What else can be said of Flowsik than the fact he is a natural. The way he raps seems effortless, it almost seems like instead of rapping he is telling us a story. The pre chorus introduces Nicky’s voice which was is the perfect RnB sound reminiscent of stars like Bruno Mars.

            The charm of this song I think lies in the chorus and the flow of the song. The chorus has a beautiful melody from Nicky and Eddie that you want to sing, but also Flowsik saying “go go go…” it makes you want to join in.

            What I like the most about this song is that as the chorus ends, there is an instant transition into the next verse, which works perfectly when Flowsik picks up vocals perfectly along to the beat as if his previous rap never ended.

            The song ends as it does with a piano melody with Eddie singing over it. It then leaves you hanging on the final note. It makes you want to hear the end of the piano melody and entices you to replay the song, well, it certainly made me do that!

Track 2 is called “Cold” and is the quintessential song that all “RnB” artists need. This is the type of song you expect from this kind of music because you can almost imagine an urban setting or some impressive group dancing

            The chorus is main focus of this song; the lyrics are arranged into a catchy hook that keeps you singing along. The repetition of the chorus lyrics also makes the song even more identifiable. I like when songs stress repetition of lyrics in a song because it has me singing the lines under my breath without even realizing.

            The music in song is relatively simple, with a clap beat and soft sweeping synths. Simple however, doesn’t mean that it is bad. This type of song is created so that vocals are the main focus. I especially liked when the beat stopped and there was a brief breakdown for Nicky and Eddie’s vocals to really shine.

            I always wonder how rappers can fit over these types of songs but Flowsik does it, like in “GO” effortlessly. His rapping has such an interesting tone that fascinates me. It made sound redundant and strange, but somehow his rapping in this song is both rough (in a “manly way,”) as well as soft. The fact that he adds melodic elements to his rap sets him apart from many rappers I listen to, and the interesting dynamic to his vocals in “Cold” remind me of Big Bang’s T.O.P.

            Cold is definitely a song you will be hearing in a club soon!

Track 3 is “Watchu Know About Us,” and it starts with an inspiring message from Flowsik, telling us that we only live one life, and that is so very true! You can tell as soon as he starts rapping that this is no pretentious view, he really means what he says. You get caught up in his compelling rap from the first note, the way he catches you with his story telling is akin to American rapper Eminem.

            As soon as I heard the catchy chorus I had it memorized immediately and it made me realize Aziatix have done something that many take a while to reach. Aziatix really are talented at creating compelling verses but more importantly (to some,) they are very good at delivering that elusive catchy chorus.

            I loved when the music pretty much disappeared for a moment to leave the beat and acapella vocals. This might not seem like much, but when an artist has to do this live, there is no way they can get away with bad vocals. This shows the talent the group holds as well as their confidence.

Track 4 is “Another Day” and it is a consistently paced song that once again showcases the power of Flowsik’s rapping. I especially enjoyed Nicky and Eddie doing their vocals justice, but in this song they seem to have gone a bit further with it, it almost sounds like their vocals became more confident.

            As much as I think this is a very good song, clever in its composition, I don’t find myself having much to say about it. This isn’t the type of song that is made to stand out so much that it is played in every club to get people dancing, this is the type of song you listen to while driving your car, or while you chill out at home. It might not be explosive and so memorable you sing it every second of the day, but it certainly is perfect to relax to, an important thing on its own.

Track 5 is “Start It Again” and surprisingly, to those addicted to the first released songs “Go” and “Cold,” this is actually my favorite song from the EP.

            Like “Another Day,” this song is not explosive but the charm of this song is the blend of vocals and music. The beat is simple so it’s not really anything that stands out, what does is the background music. If you listen to it carefully, beyond the synth, there is a beautiful piano melody that to me sounds like it has Eastern influences.

            The reason I enjoy that piano melody so much is for two reasons. The first is that it reminds me of music from dramas, (I love dramas!) The second reason is that it suggests to me that this song could be stripped down to an unplugged version and would be absolutely stunning.

            This would work especially due to the vocals. Nicky and Eddie hold back some of the power and this time they keep it soft and collected. This compliments the music perfectly, their voices are then blended into catching harmonies, and even Flowsik’s rap seems like it is pulled back a bit to make it sound a little softer. It might sound contradictory for a rap to be “soft” but it’s an interesting dynamic but it works.

            Overall I find it hard to give this a rating out of five. The reason for this is that I want more and with a full length album, we could see everything they have in store for us. I feel like five songs are not enough for us all to see everything they have to offer. So it is hard to give a rating.

            I feel they are setting down their roots musically as a group, already having established themselves solo, so as a group I give a general rating of 3-4 as I feel this is just the beginning and we will see much more. But as an album, I have to give it a 4.5 because not only are they very talented, it doesn’t feel like a first album, it feels like an album from an already established group, which is not an easy thing to do.

            So, go to iTunes and buy this album to support the artists. If this is the type of music you love, crank up the volume, kick back, and listen to some of the most soothing RnB vocals around.