8Eight returns to enchant with their soulful and mellow sound...

The members of ballad group 8Eight (L to R): Baek Chan, Jo Hee and Lee Hyun

While reading on the ballad group 8Eight, it's interesting to see how much of a following they have. The trio of Lee Hyun, Jo Hee and Baek Chan is probably one of the most sought after vocal groups in South Korea. All three are impressive vocalists that have embarked on solo and collaborative careers, and are stars in their own right, but still maintain their close bond as a functioning ballad unit under JYP Entertainment's sub-unit, Big Hit Entertainment.

They just released their new self-titled mini-album yesterday together with a new MV for their launching track, "그 입술을 막아본다" (roughly translated as "Cover Your Lips"). The group is well known for their excellent vocal talent and range, and a mellow sound that experiments with different genres and doesn't restrict itself to ballads.

It's interesting to note that 8Eight was a product of a Korean TV reality show way back in 2007. I come from a country that takes singing contests very seriously, and TV is an effective medium to discover and showcase talent to the public --- it can create stars practically overnight! I guess that's what happened to 8Eight, and they've been pretty consistent in releasing albums regularly every year since 2007 (I was surprised though that it's the first time they've released an album using their group's name). 

I first encountered 8Eight through their leader Lee Hyun, who probably has the most successful solo career in the group. I guess what interested me in him was the fact that he looked so much like Changmin of 2AM, who's also another well known balladeer and vocalist in Korea. Both Lee Hyun and Changmin formed a project group under JYP Entertainment called "Homme", that focused a lot on their sexy masculine appeal. Apart from this though, he has already released two mini-albums already, and has established a name for himself separate from 8Eight. 

"You Are The Best In My Life" by Lee Hyun of 8Eight (MV with Eng Subs)

NOTE: Just wanted to include this video since it's a favorite of mine, and 

because it stars one of my favorite Korean comediennes, Jung Juri. Baek
Chan also makes cameo in this video as well!

For 8Eight's comeback album, the trio unite once more to deliver soulful music to their fans all over. A good example of this is the first song to come off from the album that was released as a promotional single last June 14, 2011 --- the 2nd track in their album, "You Are Amazing". What drew me to the song was the mellow rhythm of the track,  which shows off the strong R&B and jazz influence of the group. The song also primarily features Baek Chan's vocals, which prove his versatility as a vocalist (since he's known to be a rapper and back-up vocalist in the group). 

"You Are Amazing" by 8Eight (Audio Only)

Along with their album launch yesterday, I mentioned earlier that 8Eight also released their new MV for their launching single, "그 입술을 막아본다" (roughly translated as "Covering Those Lips"). The song deals with the feeling of knowing that a relationship is about to end, and the denial that comes along with it. It's interesting though that even though the message of the song is relatively somber, the song is delivered with heart-thumping tempo. I guess it's that irony that lends an interesting twist to this song.


The MV also conveys an interesting interpretation of the message of the song. It sets the context of the story in the mind of a writer wrestling with his feelings about how his hero and heroine are going to end up in his song or story. The vid is full of cut scenes switching between the perspective of the writer and the characters. I love the use of stop motion filming techniques in this MV since it adds a lot of flavor and emotion to how the story builds up. Apart from the creativity in the MV, the song also rocks the vocal talents of all the members of 8Eight --- and it's great that people are able to see an equal amount of time for all members on screen.

"Covering Those Lips" by 8Eight (MV with Eng Subs)

NOTE: When I posted the vid, it seems that the CC / caption option isn't working. 

I checked the vid in YouTube and it has an interactive script with the subs that you 

can read while the MV is running (timed to the vid, of course) --- although you 

can only access the feature in You Tube though.

Apart from the first two releases from the album, there are two other gems that I would like to share with you too - the 4th and 5th track from the album, "U Make Me Feel Brand New" and "Dilemma". 

At first, I was surprised --- "They're doing a remake of a classic?" (I'm not sure if you're familiar with that classic song from the Stylistics). When I listened to the song "U Make Me Feel Brand New", I was relieved that it wasn't (because it would've been really sad if they sang a remake and couldn't pull it off). The song is a catchy mellow mid-tempo R&B song that showcases the individual talents of the members of 8Eight. 

"U Make Me Feel Brand New" by 8Eight (Audio Only)

Similar to "U Make Me Feel Brand New", "Dilemma" is a pop ballad that also follows the same R&B rhythm from the previous track, albeit with a stronger hip-hop feel because of Baek Chan's rap. The song starts off with a vocal riff from Lee Hyun --- that, and the piano in the background that establishes the backbone of the song's tempo, gives the song a Motown feel to it.

"Dilemma" by 8Eight (Audio Only)

This album pushed all the right buttons in my book, and challenged 8Eight to go beyond ballads even more than they usually do, without sacrificing the sound that people have come to expect from the group. Taking those kind of risks in music is certainly brave, and definitely makes an impact as to how people get to appreciate their growth as artists. This album is definitely a must-have for anyone who seriously appreciates Korean music!