Seven years after VERIVERY’s debut, a member has lastly launched a solo album. I’m not shocked it’s Kangmin, given his profitable run on final yr’s Boys II Planet. If something, I’m shocked it took Jellyfish Leisure this lengthy to cobble collectively some songs for him. And cobble collectively they did, as a result of Free Falling is undoubtedly the work of outsourcing.
I’m unsure what I’d anticipate a Kangmin debut to sound like since VERIVERY themselves have switched sounds so typically. To its credit score, the tune isn’t the whole generic fodder it may have been. It has some cool drum and bass moments that give it a singular pulse. Nevertheless, I want the manufacturing would have taken a extra daring, energetic route. Free Falling is perched midway between ballad and dance observe and finally ends up missing the strengths of each. Its atmospheric moments are swallowed by the (at instances) frenetic tempo whereas its extra uptempo moments don’t hit exhausting sufficient.
Kangmin is a servicable vessel for this songwriting. He lacks an simply identifiable tone, making Free Falling really feel as if it may have been carried out by anybody. I actually couldn’t decide it out of a crowd, and I make it my enterprise to be far more accustomed to the Okay-pop panorama than any particular person in all probability ought to. Like most solo debuts, it feels extra like requisite fan service than a real creative revelation.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Manufacturing | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C