SOMO:Fume

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SOMO:Fume
Digital cover
EP by
Jay B
ReleasedAugust 26, 2021 (2021-08-26)
Recorded2021
StudioH1ghr Music
GenreR&B
Length19:26 (digital)
22:15 (physical)
LanguageKorean
Label
Producer
  • Cha Cha Malone
  • Gray
  • GroovyRoom
  • Woogie
  • Jay Park (executive)
Jay B chronology
SOMO:Fume
(2021) 		Love.
(2022)
Singles from SOMO:Fume
  1. "B.T.W (feat. Jay Park)"
    Released: August 26, 2021
  2. "Fame (feat. Junny)"
    Released: August 26, 2021

SOMO:Fume (stylized as SOMO:FUME) is the first extended play by South Korean singer Jay B. It was released on August 26, 2021.[1]

Background and release[edit]

On July 22, 2021, H1ghr Music announced that Jay B would release his first EP on August 26,[2] and revealed the title, SOMO:Fume, on August 16.[3] Jay B had already hinted at the title over the previous weeks by posting photos on Instagram with the hashtag "#fume".[3] The tracklist was disclosed on August 17,[4] and the featuring artists on the 23rd:[5] SOMO:Fume consists of six tracks covering various spectrum of the R&B genre, and includes the single "Switch It Up" released in May 2021.[2][6] The title is a word pun with the Korean word "somopum" (Korean: 소모품), meaning "consumable goods", and the English "perfume", indicating the singer's intention that the disc is both consumed and kindly absorbed by the audience.[7][8][9][10]

On August 24, H1ghr Music released a preview video of the album through their official SNS and Youtube channel.[11] SOMO:Fume was released on August 26, both digitally and physically, along with the music video of the title track "B.T.W".[12] The disc's structure is reminiscent of a diary,[8] with songs about love or the pain of waiting, and an ambience that, according to Clash Magazine, shifts "between drizzly afternoons and sultry evenings".[9] Lyrics are usually passive and describe a dependant relationship in which the heart fluctuates like a wave.[13]

Midtempo title track "B.T.W" tells the story of a man who wants nothing more than the company of his loved one, promising them love and luxury in a relaxed urban R&B atmosphere that combines chillhop trap, 808 drum, bass and pluck sound.[11][14][15] It was written imagining a walk along the Han River with a lover,[15] and the reverb effect used on the singer's voice recalls open spaces and freedom.[16] "AM PM" features mild guitar and percussion riffs, accompanied by the synthesizer, and talks about the dizzy feeling of being in love.[17] While bass-based "Fame" is faster,[11][17] "In To You" is slightly jazzy, with a relaxed rhythm supported by the trumpet and a Moog-like synth, and in the lyrics, written thinking about two people having a glass of wine together, love is portrayed "sort of like the process of wine fermenting".[9] "Count On Me", with light acoustic guitar rhythms combined with a summer atmosphere reminiscent of the pop R&B hits of the 2000s, reassures about fidelity with nostalgic tones.[17][18]

The physical edition of SOMO:Fume includes a seventh track, "Paranoia", in which Jay B wants someone to help him escape the mental distress caused by an unstable world.[19] The song, which expresses the anxiety, worries and burdens of a person, is a reference to the mental health of the singer, diagnosed with depression and panic attacks, and was written with the intention of portraying a situation in which anyone can find themselves in a moment of their life.[19][20]

Promotions[edit]

Jay B promoted "B.T.W" with Jay Park on M Countdown on August 26,[21] and Inkigayo on August 29.[22]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME[18]
Rhythmer[13]
Seoul Therapy9/10[16]

According to Rolling Stone India, "Jay B invites listeners to discover the depths of his artistry".[14] For ABS-CBN News, the entire EP is a testament to the singer's individuality, with whom he "strips down to his most authentic style as an artist and individual", and in which "his sleek R&B vocals coupled with a dash of confident sentimentality evoked smooth and sultry musky perfume", imprinting on it his love for nature, reading books, cats, and photographs.[7] Teen Vogue's Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum likened the record to "a coffret of naturally romantic notes", indicating "Fame" and "Count On Me" as the top notes, "B.T.W" and "Switch It Up" as the heart notes, and "AM PM" and "In To You" as the base notes.[19] Reviewing for Bollywood Hungama, Nandini Iyengar highlighted how SOMO:Fume presents listeners with a story from start to finish, similar to the stages of a romantic relationship seen in a rom-com movie, judging Jay B's work "brilliant".[17] Seoul Therapy rated the album 9 out of 10, considering it a successful EP who could be appreciated by people who enjoy good R&B, in which Jay B "shows his fun flirty side as well as his pensive and sensitive one".[16] For The Kraze Magazine, it's a refreshing, chill and comforting album with which he manages to make his artistry and style shine, "the epitome of relief, joy, and creativity that was hidden but now found".[23]

On the other hand, NME's Sofiana Ramli gave SOMO:Fume 3 out of 5 stars, appreciating the chemistry between Jay B and the guest artists, but considering it at times not living up to its expectations "for a project that boldly proclaims to be a style of its own".[18] She found the record lacking a clear distinction from other artists in the R&B scene and felt that it fell back on tried and tested formulas, giving it a sense of familiarity which made it sound less fresh and innovative.[18] She claimed that "AM PM" sounded more like a Dean release, and "B.T.W" and "Switch It Up" too dependent on Cha Cha Malone's repetitive production, but also found "In To You", "Fame" and "Count On Me" the most surprising songs, fruit of a winning production combination.[18]

Similar remarks were also advanced by Rhythmer's Kim Hyo-jin, who considered the choice of a close collaboration with the other artists of H1ghr Music, aimed at redefining the image of the singer and demonstrating his complete affiliation with the new record label, an obvious and not challenging solution to the question "Who is Jay B?" Most importantly, she felt that the production had failed to highlight the strengths of the singer's voice by overshadowing it.[13]

At the end of the year, "Fame" was included among the best K-pop songs of 2021 according to Teen Vogue.[24]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."B.T.W" (featuring Jay Park)
Cha Cha Malone3:12
2."AM PM" (featuring Wheein)
  • Defsoul
  • Sound Kim
  • Jay Park
  • Gray
  • DAX
  • Chrli
  • Defsoul
  • Sound Kim
  • Jay Park
  • Gray
  • DAX
  • Chrli
3:37
3."Fame" (featuring Junny)
  • Defsoul
  • Junny
  • GroovyRoom
  • Bin
  • Bell
2:23
4."In to You" (featuring G1nger)
  • Defsoul
  • G1nger
  • Jay Park
  • Woogie
  • Defsoul
  • G1nger
  • Jay Park
Woogie3:38
5."Switch It Up" (featuring Sokodomo)
  • Defsoul
  • Sokodomo
  • Jay Park
  • Cha Cha Malone
  • Defsoul
  • Jay Park
Cha Cha Malone3:35
6."Count On Me"Defsoul
  • GroovyRoom
  • Kwaca
  • Defsoul
  • Junny
Kwaca3:01
Total length:19:26
CD only
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
7."Paranoia"
  • Defsoul
  • Jay Park
  • GroovyRoom
  • Defsoul
  • Jay Park
  • pH-1
GroovyRoom2:49
Total length:22:15

Personnel[edit]

Personnel adapted from the liner notes of the physical album.

  • Jay B (Defsoul) – vocals, lyrics, composition
  • Bae So-yoon – recording, vocal engineering
  • Bell – composition (track 3), arrangements (track 3)
  • Bin – composition (track 3), arrangements (track 3)
  • Chrli – composition (track 2), arrangements (track 2)
  • DAX – composition (track 2), arrangements (track 2)
  • G1nger – featuring (track 4), lyrics (track 4), composition (track 4)
  • Gray – production (track 2), composition (track 2), arrangements (track 2)
  • GroovyRoom – production (tracks 3, 6-7), composition (tracks 3, 6-7), arrangements (tracks 3, 7)
  • Junny – featuring (track 3), lyrics (track 3), composition (tracks 3, 6)
  • Kwaca – lyrics (track 6), composition (track 6)
  • Cha Cha Malone – composition (tracks 1, 5), arrangements (tracks 1, 5), mixing (track 1), production (tracks 1, 5)
  • Jay Park – featuring (track 1), lyrics (tracks 1-2, 4-5, 7), composition (tracks 1-2, 4-5, 7)
  • pH-1 – composition (track 7)
  • Sokodomo – featuring (track 5), lyrics (track 5)
  • Sound Kim – lyrics (track 2), composition (track 2)
  • Stay Tuned – mixing (tracks 2-4, 6-7)
  • Teezio – mixing (track 5)
  • Mike Tucci – mastering
  • Wheein – featuring (track 2)
  • Woogie – production (track 4), arrangements (track 4)

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for SOMO:Fume
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[25] 33
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[26] 5

References[edit]

  1. ^ "JAY B, 'SOMO:FUME' 컴백 카운트다운 시작..의미심장한 문구 '궁금증 UP' [공식]". m.naver.com (in Korean). August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Kim, Myung-mi (July 28, 2021). "컴백 앞둔 JAY B, 30일 EP 예약 판매 시작…글로벌 소통ing". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "'26일 컴백' JAY B, 새 EP 'SOMO:FUME' 앨범명 공개…본격 컴백 카운트다운". m.naver.com (in Korean). August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "'เจบี' เตรียมคัมแบ็ค ปล่อยภาพทีเซอร์เผยรายชื่อเพลงในอัลบั้มเดี่ยว 'SOMO: FUME'" (in Thai). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "제이비, 첫 EP 'SOMO:FUME' 트랙리스트 공개..박재범→휘인·그루비룸 지원사격". pop.heraldcorp.com (in Korean). August 23, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Park, Yoo-jin (July 22, 2021). "제이비, 하이어뮤직 합류 후 첫 EP 발매". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Tenedero, Erik (August 26, 2021). "K-pop: JAY B bares his soul in debut EP 'SOMO: FUME'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Jung, Ha-eun (August 26, 2021). "제이비, 박재범 지원사격으로 더 청량해진 'B.T.W'[SS신곡]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Glasby, Taylor (August 26, 2021). "In Conversation: JAY B". Clash Magazine. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Lee, Yeon-sil (September 1, 2021). "제이비 "첫 솔로앨범 '소모:퓸', 제가 소모해서 나온 결과물이 향수처럼 은은하게 묻어나길" (정희)". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "JAY B, 첫 솔로 EP 'SOMO:FUME' 프리뷰 영상 공개..고퀄리티 신보 예고". m.naver.com (in Korean). August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  12. ^ "JAY B, 첫 솔로 EP 'SOMO:FUME' 발매...고 퀄리티 앨범 완성". m.naver.com (in Korean). August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Kim, Hyo-jin (September 17, 2021). "제이비 - SOMO:FUME". board.rhythmer.net (in Korean). Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Dongre, Divyansha (August 26, 2021). "Watch JAY B's Dreamy Solo Debut With 'B.T.W'". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Lim, Ui-jung (August 26, 2021). "제이비, 오늘(26일) 첫 솔로 EP 'SOMO:FUME' 발매..서정적인 사랑 이야기". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c "ALBUM REVIEW: Jay B 'SOMO: FUME'". Seoul Therapy. August 29, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d Iyengar, Nandini (August 29, 2021). "JAY B carries in his own scent in triumphant debut with sultry SOMO: FUME – Album Review : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  18. ^ a b c d e Ramli, Sofiana (August 30, 2021). "JAY B – 'SOMO:FUME' EP review: a smooth-sailing, star-studded affair". NME. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  19. ^ a b c Hodoyan-Gastelum, Alexis (August 26, 2021). "The Inauguration of JAY B's Most Authentic Era". Teen Vogue. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  20. ^ Buthani, Sarina (August 26, 2021). "Jay B Reinvents Himself With Somo:Fume: 'There Are No Rules'". MTV News. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  21. ^ "'솔로' 제이비, 팝 R&B 미니앨범 발표…박재범·휘인 등 피처링". m.naver.com (in Korean). August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "1106회 JAY B - B.T.W (ft. 박재범)". sbs.co.kr (in Korean). August 30, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Ventinilla, J. (August 28, 2021). "JAY B Returns with Highly Anticipated First EP SOMO: FUME". The Kraze. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  24. ^ Yadav, Monica (December 17, 2021). "The Best K-Pop Songs of 2021". Teen Vogue. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  25. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-10-04/p/4" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  26. ^ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 36, 2021". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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