Chillin' the afternoon away with Eluphant...

Hip-hop duo "Eluphant" --- Minos and Kebee

Every once in a while you stumble upon an album that makes you think "I wonder if they're any good?" I'm really thankful that the internet and YouTube have become my portal to learn more about groups that otherwise would've slipped my radar.

While going through the list of new albums for the first week of May in Kpop7.com, I saw a new post for "Eluphant". It's an unusual name for a group... at least they got my attention there. Now I'm glad that they did catch my attention, or else I wouldn't have been in for a treat with their latest release, "You're Still Beautiful".

Now they were a hard group to research on since they were relatively obscure in an entire industry dominated by idol pop. After some intense googling, I found out the Eluphant is Kebee and Minos (unique names, eh?), an indie hip-hop duo in South Korea. I'm not a big fan of hip-hop, but if there's one thing I've discovered about Asian music, there's a lot of innovation involved in terms of redefining certain genres of music. When I listened to Eluphant's new mini-album, "You're Still Beautiful" it reaffirmed that entire idea.

Based on what I've read online, Eluphant is a group that has been known to stretch the very definition of hip-hop by introducing various musical influences, ranging from jazz, bossanova and lounge music. I listened to their title track, "You're Still Beautiful", and I was amazed by how laid back the song was. The first few verses didn't make me think that this was produced in Korea... I felt I was lost in some Brazilian pub dancing the samba with some random stranger (weird mental image, eh? hahaha! it was the bossa rhythm's fault!). The guitar work and the accompanying piano arrangment puts you in the mood for the journey, and the rap felt integral to the dark and romantic feel of the song. Kwon Jung Yeol of 10cm (an acoustic indie band in Korea --- they're pretty well known in Korea too) provided the main vocal for the song, and his rendition of lyrics wove the impression of the same kind of enchantment we feel when we fall in love.

"You're Still Beautiful" by Eluphant feat. Jung Yeol of 10cm

Another hands-down favorite of mine in this album is the fourth track in the album, "She Is Not Following You". The song starts with a relatively simple vibe, combining pop jazz and strong hip-hop and R&B beats. Then when the vocalist, Jieun, starts to sing the chorus to the song, the magic begins! I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is a track is a masterpiece; it's real ear candy that anyone can appreciate and groove to. It's the kind of hip-hop that won't wear you down.

"She Is Not Following You" by Eluphant

Another track that caught my attention was their first track in the album, "Hello My Dear". When you throw in a song as your first track in an album, it has to have a certain amount of balance --- interesting enough to hook your listeners; but it shouldn't be the ace in the your hand, or else people lose interest mid-way. The song was interesting since it showcased the Eluphant's varied musical influences --- jazz drums and guitars, and a very laid back vibe that you would attribute to the bossa and R&B elements in the song. Considering the hodgepodge of influences, it's interesting that the rap didn't feel lost in the fray; it enhanced the feel and energy of the song.

"Hello My Dear" by Eluphant

Apparently Eluphant is supposed to be releasing a full album sometime in 2011 entitled "Man on Earth". Considering how much I enjoyed reviewing their latest release, I will be looking forward to their album with great anticipation!