Album Review: Hyolyn - iCE

We have our second-to-last Queendom 2 comeback! I would argue that Hyolyn benefitted the most from being on the show, even if she only ranked 3rd in the end. The show was incredible for her exposure-- anywhere I went, all I could hear was people raving about Hyolyn's vocal prowess. And rightfully so! Have you seen her performance of LOONA's "So What"?! Hyolyn has to be one of K-pop's most skilled vocalists, which is why it was so disheartening to see her fall in popularity after her group, SISTAR, disbanded. Her first mini-album, iCE, continues to expand the summer sound she has adopted since debut. I hope it'll mark a rise back to popularity, but I can't help but doubt that.

Right off the bat, title track "No Thanks" is incredibly catchy. True to Hyolyn, the atmosphere is very cool and confident. With this comes a simple, subdued instrumental mostly made up of percussion. Its chorus is especially simple, but an immediate earworm. The structure of the ending is nice: a minimalistic dance break is followed up by what seems like an explosive finale, but the song smoothly transitions back into the regular old chorus. I quite like it! It matches the assured atmosphere of the song and proves for a satisfying ending. But, the verses are rather throwaway, and as you listen, you're mostly just waiting for the chorus to return.

"No Thanks" lacks the dynamic momentum or groove that Hyolyn songs usually have. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and Hyolyn does imbue the song with an infectious confidence, but the overall product feels quite uneventful. With a lack of powerful melodic sections, it doesn't make use of Hyolyn's vocal talents like "Dally," nor does it have an eye-catching summer feel like "Say My Name." Still, it's a new style for her, and she pulls it off well.

The b-sides match the overall sound of the album quite nicely, even if most of them seem to chalk up to a "vibe." The sentimental "Over You" sets an apt stage for "No Thanks," while disco-synth-pop "Ah Yeah" ends things off on a fun, laidback note. But the real star on iCE is "Body Talk." First off, Hyolyn actually sings much more on this track. With a dreamy, misty chill-pop instrumental "Body Talk" sees Hyolyn taking up K-R&B. It really isn't anything crazy unique, but it's a solid song. I enjoy all the dips into minor, as well as how Hyolyn is using a more delicate, whispery vocal style on a dance number. It's a shame this is the shortest track on the album, then.

The album also has two previously released singles. First, prior digital single "Layin' Low." The song calls back to classic Hyolyn, to the likes of "Dally," but the overall product does feel a bit watered down. Finally, we have Queendom track "Waka Boom (ft. Youngji)." This is song was quite an odd choice for her to choose for her final performance, because it.. doesn't exactly scream her? Rather than depending on vocal strengths, "Waka Boom" uses a lot of talk-rap and attitude to fill its space. It should come as no surprise that its best moments come during the intense, vocal-heavy pre-choruses. Youngji flows a solid verse as usual, so the finale offers the explosive sound that I love. Hyolyn executes this style nicely, but I do think her prior sound suited her much better. And this rings true for "No Thanks" as well.

iCE lives up to its name. Hyolyn aimed to be as cold as ice, yet, at the same time, emotional enough to melt our hearts as ice does into water. I would say each individual song on the album adds up together to bring this goal to fruition. But I wish iCE strove harder in crafting this ambiance. Arctic, instead of cold. Impassioned, as opposed to emotional. Sure, the release as a whole has supplemented and slightly diversified her discography, but I will say, I'm waiting for what's coming next.