[This review reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of allkpop.]

Track List:

1. Digital

2. PARANOIA

3. Misunderstood (feat. Omega Sapien)

4. Antidote

5. Save U (feat. Wonstein)

KANG DANIEL returns with pop R&B album, Yellow, the third part to his series of color-themed releases. Much to my surprise, Yellow is much more dynamic and risk-taking than his prior albums and is by far my preferred color-themed album for a good reason. 

To further my point, the album opener, "Digital," is a fantastic indication of the variety Yellow has to offer. Rather than the same typical R&B single KANG DANIEL has been offering us; he opts for a rock-inspired indie track. The song has a chic vibe, and KANG DANIEL may have found his niche with these mid-tempo 80's song progressions. "Digital" is retro in all the right places, and it pays off for him to have taken the chance on a genre that's a bit different than what we're typically used to seeing from him.

"PARANOIA," KANG DANIEL's last single, serves as this album's pre-single as the song dropped in February earlier this year.

Balming Tiger's frontman, Omega Sapien, lent his unique musical styling to KANG DANIEL on his third track, "Misunderstood." This song feels somewhat brooding at first but has a bit of a tempo speed-up after the first chorus. Omega Sapien is the one to add an interesting flavor to the song with his distinctive performance style and vocals. "Misunderstood" is moody but a bit stagnant throughout as it never feels like it fully picks up exactly the way you're anticipating.

Luckily, KANG DANIEL's chosen title track, "Antidote," takes the 80s synth-laden sound and modernizes it to have a sultry feel that's a bit different from his prior promoted singles. There's a nice inclusion of rock elements that is really working for him on Yellow, and "Antidote" is an excellent example of this genre-bending sound.

"Save U" features singer and rapper, Wonstein of Beautiful Noise label. As the album's closer, this song is a bit more mellow and pop-focused. "Save U" is less of a risk than many of the other releases on Yellow, but the inclusion of Wonstein gives really sleek energy that keeps "Save U" from feeling too vanilla overall. Of all of KANG DANIEL's releases thus far, Yellow has really impressed me.

MV REVIEW

Artistic and haunting, KANG DANIEL's MV for "Antidote" is an elegant mix of video editing and compelling performance. Without the MV, the song itself is quite good, but with the MV, "Antidote" is elevated to a higher level. The contrast of colors and use of background dancers in all-white really make KANG DANIEL a centerpiece to behold. "Antidote" focuses on his captivating ability to give a compelling dance performance. Kudos to the team who helped create this MV, as the transitions are flawless and stitch together seamlessly. Additionally, there's a particular kaleidoscope effect created with KANG DANIEL and his background dancers that serves as a charming focal point to the MV's clever and minimalist concept.

MV SCORE:

MV Relevance…..9

MV Production…..9

MV Concept……..10

MV Score: 9.33

ALBUM SCORE:

Album Production…...9

Album Concept……...9

Tracklisting…………...9

Album Score: 9.0

Overall: 9.17