San E – ‘Season of Suffering’ Album Review

This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.

San E is back with his first album release in nearly two years. Season of Suffering is a hip hop album that reflects San E himself and follows the progression of a plot. Each track on Season of Suffering represents a piece of the plot structure — a beginning, a rise, a climax, a fall, and a resolution. San E creatively takes this album to tell a full story. Continue reading for a glimpse into San E’s mind in seven, not children friendly, but ear thumping tracks.

Track 1 – I Can Go All Day

I Can Go All Day kicks off Season of Suffering with an unique whistle sound overlaying a hip hop drum beat. The track has a hint of aggressiveness as San E delivers a powerful rap. He shows his lightening fast raping skills while spitting suggestive lyrics in a very San E fashion.

Track 2 – 서울, 소돔의 120일 (Seoul, or the 120 Days of Sodom)

Opening with what seems like a historical speech, Seoul, or the 120 Days of Sodom is an important song on the album. The lyrical content is about human nature and desire. A dark concept with oriental sounds, San E gives us a very impactful rap in Seoul, or the 120 Days of Sodom.

Track 3 – 카운셀러 (Counselor)

San E takes us on a mind trip as he battles with the good and bad voices in his head. Counselor is about working through his issues and battling his struggles. This is an emotional and raw track which can be felt through the instrumental alone. I liked that San E flows seamlessly back and forth between English and Korean. Being bilingual, I’d imagine that’s exactly how his mind works, which gave an even better image and connection to the story.

Track 4 – Lost In Myself

With a drowsy and dopy feel, Lost In Myself continues to tell the story of struggle. This track is very relatable as everyone has a moment of being lost in themselves. Lost In Myself also features female vocalist eSNa, whose soft but powerful voice adds a lot to the atmosphere and feel of the song. San E’s lifeless chanting of ‘struggle is real’ stands out in the track to be very memorable.

Track 5 – 나쁜X (Bad Year)

Bad Year ends the story of suffering. Therefore the song has a much brighter vibe than the previous tracks. San E raps and vocalizes over a nice beat and groove, but it’s a fairly typical number with little to highlight.

Track 6 – I Am Me

A fun ditty can be found in the title track, I Am Me, where San E teams up with Mamamoo’s Hwasa. The song tries to appeal to a wider audience by having less mature and suggestive lyrics. I Am Me has a funk vibe with playful horns and drums, but there are a couple of sections that quickly become a bit repetitive.

Track 7 – Ready-Made (Marcel Duchamp)

Season of Suffering closes with a clever track in Ready-Made (Marcel Duchamp). This track is a play on artist, Marcel Duchamp, and his art, coined as ‘readymades.’ The vibe of the track is a bit dark, but infused with a sense of hopefulness. San E raps about working through his issues and is on the road to recovery.

What Do You Think?

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