[Album and MV Review] Hyosung - 'Fantasia'

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HYOSUNG - FANTASIA

Track List:
1. Come To See Me
2. Into You
3. Taxi Driver
4. How Can I
5. First Kiss/Five More Minutes)

Hyosung, the sexy SECRET singer, has dropped her new solo album 'Fantasia.' Following last year's "Top Secret," this is her first mini-album. She even wrote lyrics for two of the album's songs. We've seen the amazing (and slightly unsettling) concept images for this comeback, so, without further ado:

The first track, "Come To See Me," was co-written by Hyosung herself. It starts with a horn section, then gives way to breathy vocals and catchy beat. She's got a great hook here: "Come see me see me see me. Come over here next to me." It's very sweetly sung, and I've waxed lyrical before about Hyosung's soft voice. She definitely uses it here, creating a funky, sweet, slightly naughty piece. She writes well around her own voice.

I'm not sure what to think about the title track, "Into You." It seems to be a fusion of Hyomin's "Nice Body" with "I'll Be There" by the 90's-era Brit-pop outfit Spice Girls. Fortunately, she didn't write it, but I think some producer really crossed the line here. You can really hear the Spice Girls influence in the first 30 seconds. It's a killer song, body-moving with raps and repetitive hooks. But how much of it is really hers?

Starting on a more original note, we have "Taxi Driver," with a whistled intro and interesting lyrics. It feels light and poppy, but it's actually asking the taxi driver to just drive while she forgets that she's lonely. It's an effervescent tune with a smooth chorus. Close your eyes: you can totally see the nightlife in Seoul whizzing by, a teary-eyed Hyosung looking out a rain-stained window.

"How Can I" comes sidling in, Hyosung lending her sweet voice to an acoustic guitar-driven song. It's a pretty ballad and really shows her range here. Sweet vocal stylings move aside for earnest and heartfelt ones, and she shines. She also shows off her songcraft as well, having penned some lyrics that definitely speak of heartbreak, replete with broken promises, lost photos, and dreams of how the couple used to be. �

"Five Minutes" is more my kind of song. Pulsing, danceable with a bombastic chorus, and probably my favorite track on the album. Yes, I'm playing that game again, second-guessing the producers on what songs should be released as singles. Sue me. :)� I hope I get a chance to see her perform this one. The music during the chorus almost threatens to drown her out, but somehow, that combines to make the track even better. It feels almost too short by half, like I wanted more by the end.

Is there much more that can be said? Hyosung has once again captivated me with her honeyed voice, giving the songs a sweet, smooth, airy quality. The songs are lower-key, which gives them a fuller feel; rather than using machined EDM or dubstep, here the producers opted for real instruments (as far as I can tell). The effect is nice and listenable. While it lacks the one-two punch of "Goodnight Kiss," it still deserves its time in the ring.� �

MV REVIEW

We get to see a lot of scenes, as well as a lot of Hyosung. Light on plot, but heavy on visuals, we are treated to various costume changes. Looking every bit the video vixen, the sexy singer goes through a ton of outfits and set changes. I really don't want to think about how long this took to shoot.

There is a plot, however. Viewed as it is through a retro TV, on a VHS tape (or so we are led to believe), I think it may be someone dusting off their memories and watching them, via the magic of 70's-80's technology. Here are some highlights:

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All in all, she's enjoyable to watch. And some of the scenes are genuinely fun and exuberant, rather than going for tawdry. There's a lot of ways they could have ruined the effect, and I'm glad they didn't.

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