As I have stated many times in the past, BTS has had an incredible impact on the music world over the last ten years or so. Along with BLACKPINK, BTS has helped make K-Pop music a worldwide phenomenon. Nowadays, K-Pop is one of the most prevalent industries in the music business, and BTS has played a heavy hand in making that happen. Over the last couple of years, as the members of BTS have all decided to fulfill their mandatory military service in Korea, BTS has been on a hiatus. This has led to the various members of the group deciding to put out solo music, with each member exhibiting the individual talents that make them shine. j-hope was the first member of the group to release a solo project during their hiatus. His album Jack In The Box, which came out in 2022, received critical acclaim and asserted that j-hope could be just as prominent a solo artist as he is an integral member of BTS. At the time Jack In The Box came out, although I enjoyed the lead single ‘on the street’ with J. Cole, I did not review it. I have come to regret this, as when I went back to Jack In The Box last year, I realized how good it is. In the subsequent year or so following the release of Jack In The Box, multiple other BTS members released solo projects. RM released his album Indigo near the end of 2022, then a bunch of solo work came out from BTS members in 2023; Jimin released FACE in March, Suga(under the pseudonym Agust D) released D-Day in April(this is one of my favorite albums of last year, if you are into hard-hitting Hip Hop please read my review and check it out), V released Layover in September(one of my favorite EPs of last year, if you are into R&B please read my review and check it out), and Jung Kook released GOLDEN in November. j-hope is already back with new music, as he recently released an EP called HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1. This EP serves as a soundtrack for a mini docuseries where j-hope explores various styles of dance in multiple settings that showcase his ability as a choreographer. I am not going to miss out on this project like I missed out on his last one, as I learned my lesson in that regard. With that being said, here is how I feel about HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1. Please let me know in the comments below what you think of j-hope’s HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1, and also comment on what your favorite songs from this project are.
j-hope gets HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 going with a solo version of the aforementioned track ‘on the street.’ As I mentioned, I really enjoyed the original version of this track. I will not say that the solo version of this song is lackluster, but I do think it lacks a bit of the personality that J. Cole brings to the track. It is extremely tough to replace a rapper as prominent as J. Cole, as although j-hope’s verse that is substituted for J. Cole’s is pretty good(it actually sounds like he is sort of trying to rap like J. Cole through his flow and tone, which is interesting), it just does not pop in the way J. Cole’s original verse does. Regardless, ‘on the street’ does have a charming and laid-back melody and catchy beat, which makes this version of the song enjoyable, even if it is not as good as the first version. j-hope’s lower tone contrasts the melody nicely, giving the song texture. In ‘on the street,’ j-hope is rapping about living with lack or regret and believing that things will be okay. ‘I wonder,’ which features Junk Kook, has a pretty similar sonic theme to the first song on the record. It has a sonic theme that a lot of Pop artists today have been gravitating towards in the last couple of years. This track feels inspired by the Disco-tinted Pop music that was big in the 1960s and 1970s. When I hear this instrumental, I think of artists like The Jackson 5 or The Supremes. This track is driven by a funky bassline that is complemented by a bright guitar riff and sunny synths. The melody has a joyous feeling that will put anyone in a good mood when it comes on. The beat for ‘i wonder’ has as much of a Disco feeling to it as the melody; it is the kind of beat that will make anyone move their hips when it comes on. I like the way j-hope’s gruff tone contrasts Junk Kook’s higher and lighter pitch. This contrast in vocals gives the song life and makes it more interesting. On ‘i wonder,’ j-hope and Junk Kook are talking about their relationship with their fans and wanting to get the group back together so they can reunite with the people that make them happy. ‘lock / unlock,’ which gets assistance from benny blanco and Nile Rodgers, is another song that is definitely inspired by Disco music. This song has a lot more of a dark and groovy sound than the song that precedes it, though. It also had a modern element to it that makes it comparable to modern Dance music. When I was listening to this song around my brother, he asked me if it was Daft Punk, because the instrumental is so comparable to their album Random Access Memories(specifically songs like ‘Get Lucky’ or ‘Lose Yourself To Dance).’ The melody is driven by a groovy bassline and an iconic Nile Rodger guitar riff which are complemented by shimmering synths. The beat is quick and punchy, making it the perfect song to get a dance floor jumping. J-hope’s vocals on ‘lock / unlock’ are great. His soft and deep tone fits the instrumental so well and makes it feel so warm. On ‘lock / unlock,’ j-hope is singing about his love for someone and how he will always be there for this person.
‘i don’t know,’ which features Huh Yunjin of Le Sserafim, is a song that leans into a different trend that is very big in pop music right now. This one feels(at least slightly) inspired by the R&B-infused Garage music that was big in the UK during the 1990s and is making a big comeback today. It definitely has the energy of the music by artists like Ghost Town DJs or Sweet Female Attitude, especially through the beat. One thing that makes this song a bit unique is the slightly Latin element in the guitar riff that complements the melody. There is something about this melody that has a Bossa Nova tint to it, which makes it stand out. j-hope sounds okay on this track, but Yunjin steals the show. Her tone is so clear and her range is so wide, giving the song emotion, which it benefits from greatly. On ‘i don’t know,’ j-hope and Yunjin are talking about love at first sight and diving into a relationship without knowing how it will go. ‘what if…(dance mix),’ with JINBO The SuperFreak, has a sound that I would have never expected to hear from a BTS member(or a K-Pop artist in general, to be honest). This song is driven by a sample from the iconic track ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ by Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Hardcore BoomBap music may be one of the last things I thought j-hope would do on this project, and I appreciate that j-hope decided to go in this direction so much. The instrumental for ‘what if…(dance mix)’ is not exactly the same as ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya,’ but it is pretty close. There are moments in the instrumental where the melody gets a bit lighter and less harsh, giving the song a softer element and differentiating it from the original track. j-hope’s vocal performance on this track is pretty awesome. He channels his inner Wu Tang energy on this one, as his vocal tone is gritty and mean and his flow is vigorous and to the point. On ‘what if…(dance mix),’ j-hope how authentic he is and how much of an individual he is. Unfortunately, in my opinion, j-hope saves the weakest track for last in ‘NEURON,’ which features GAEKO and YOON MIRAE. This track just does not grab me at all. I won’t say this one is boring, necessarily, but I will say it is very basic. The instrumental is just whatever for me. The melody is pleasant but not captivating in any way, and the beat is pretty mundane. This is especially regrettable because the vocals on ‘NEURON’ are great. All three vocalists provide a ton of life and diversity to the song; so much so, that it almost completely saves the instrumental. It is hard to pick a favorite vocalist on the track because each artist provides something special. I actually love the vocals on ‘NEURON;’ I really wish the instrumental were better because this would be the best song on the project if it was. On ‘NEURON,’ j-hope and his features are talking about believing in yourself and moving forward in life with confidence. ‘NEURON’ is almost an epic climax to this record because of its vocals, but it slightly misses the mark due to its instrumental.
I have to say, j-hope threw me for a bit of a loop with the sonic direction of HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1. Based on what we heard on Jack In The Box, I was expecting a bit of a more traditional Hip Hop project. That is not the case at all with HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1. Instead, j-hope proves his diversity on this track, going in many different directions with this EP. Each song is different from the last, and j-hope shows off his many talents as a vocalist and artist. HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 does sound a bit scattered. The project does not flow super well, and there is not much of an overlying sonic or lyrical theme. But when one considers this is meant to be a soundtrack for a docuseries about dancing, it does make a bit more sense. Each song corresponds with the dances in the docuseries well, making it a fun watch. Even if HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 is all over the place, there is still a lot to love about this project. The quality is there for sure, even if the fluidity is not. HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 exhibits how j-hope is growing and expanding as an artist, and it is a fun listen with a lot to love for all kinds of music fans.
EAST SIDE VIBES 