Lee Hae Ri – ‘H’ Album Review

Davichi is the female duo known for their emotional and sincere singing, more so internationally after their contribution to the OST for Descendants of the Sun. And it is now time for Lee Hae Ri, a member of the duo, to shine as a solo artist. She definitely did so with H, a mature album with a combination of modernity and tradition. Although I had expected a tad more from the safe bet ballads that make up most of the album, the first title track, Pattern, is a true gem and H is, overall, a great start to a bright solo career.

Track 1 – Pattern

This title track truly shows what solo debuts are meant to be like. Pattern is a contemporary R&B number that will amaze the masses with an entirely different spin from what you’d expect from Davichi. The nonchalance that can be felt behind most of the song comes as a great surprise. The ballad-like segments just before the choruses, acting as the emotional highs, add to the interest factor of the already interesting song.

Track 2 – 그대라는 계절 (Season Of You)

Unlike Pattern, Season of You is uniform to Davichi’s discography, which might be quite disappointing. Apart from the extreme melancholy expressed towards the end of the song, Season of You comes out to be a monotonous ballad tedious to get through.

Track 3 – 미운 날 (Hate That I Miss You)

This other title track succeeds at what the previous track failed to do; it keeps people listening to the very end. Hate That I Miss You spreads the emotion evenly throughout the song instead of keeping it for a climax at the very end. It showcases Hae Ri’s impressive vocal range extremely well without being overbearing.

Track 4 – 종이별의 꿈 (Paper Star’s Dream)

Paper Star’s Dream is yet another ballad that does not impress. Solo debuts should show a different side of a member of a group, but, like Season of You, this is exactly what would be released by Davichi if it wasn’t put into Hae Ri’s solo album. The two mentioned songs sound too similar, using the exact same instruments, but otherwise it is a peaceful listen.

Track 5 – 우린 (We Are)

We Are is a song Hae Ri composed herself, and while it is not mind-blowingly amazing, it’s beautiful in its own way. We Are is a song that has the acoustic guitar as the backbone, providing a sense of sincerity and warmth. And, as always, Hae Ri’s vocals here, although muted, never fail to impress.

Track 6 – 보이지 않아도 (Even Though)

This thoughtful album comes to a pleasant close with a pleasant number with Even Though. While this song is sorrowful in its meaning, the light piano chords uplift and stir the listener, giving the illusion that the person in the song is alright. This contradiction is interesting and adds a lot more meaning to the track, as compared to if it was just a traditional one.

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