Review: Xia Junsu - Hana

Kim Junsu, also known by his stage-name Xia, is perhaps one of the, if not the, greatest musical artists of the 2010s. His music has always been somewhat inconsistent in sound, but he is one of the few contemporary musicians to take music as art. Indeed, Flower was experimental and avant-garde, avoiding genre and style over its dramatic soundscape.

His legendary masterpieces have been both a blessing and curse for Junsu. On one hand, his legacy is secured, there is no way his music, whether in the theatre or in the recording studio will be forgotten for years. On the other hand, every new track of his is met with unrealistic expectations, as not all of his tracks have been boundary-pushing, genre-bending pieces.

Junsu has now created his own agency, Palm Tree, and has already been hiring artists. I know all agencies tend to be corrupt, but I genuinely hope that Junsu, someone who has been very vocal (through his music) about his dislike of the authoritative corporation holding so much power over an artist. We will have to wait to see if Junsu breaks the system, or break before it, but Hana stands as Palm Tree's first release, and it is from the mastero himself.

Junsu, ever the defiant genre-bender, chose the out-of-date moombahton sound with tropical house influences. Initially, the teasers had me worried, as this sound often leads to a generic drop chorus structure. While Hana falls prey to this, it earnestly succeeds in improving on the trends, rather than kowtowing before their force.

While the structure is certainly derivative, Junsu performs with utmost emotion and tenacity. He is essentially an opera and musical star singing a pop song, and he adds much more flavor than his rivals within this soundscape. The texture in his voice, moving from breathy falsettos to dreamy hooks, is unmatched.

Additionally, the instrumental makes some clever choices, particularly within the verses. Orchestral plucked strings along with snapping drums. The soundscape is flowery and wild, with a tangy hint of hope that is missed in much of modern music. On the other hand, the chorus opts for a spacy synth that recalls the best of WJSN and IZ*ONE, even if it lacks the dramatic intensity witnessed within the verses.

 Blasting brass and vocoder are used throughout the track, but to provide intensity to Junsu's sweet and smooth emotions, and thus they work well within this springy, nostalgic mix. The occasional miss is seen in the first phase of the bridge, but the song soon recovers with a dramatic build towards a cathartic and intense climax, doubling down on its established hooks.

Lyrically, Hana initially seems to be a simple love song, but Junsu adds both emotional pathos and hints of citric bitterness throughout the mixer's blend. The frequent mentions of immortality and the color red might suggest a vampire tale (a lyrical genre oddly popular within K-Pop), but the reality seems to be a bit more personal. The pre-chorus opens with the line "Awaken from the sleep that was trembling with wounds/ look at the bright lights there/ the flame is never gonna be the same/ I won't let this eye contact go/ believe in you it's time to bloom/ Become one light and burn red".

The references to rising from pain and eventually blooming into greatness are omnipresent in Junsu's lyrics, and often are a not-so-subtle dig at his former agency SM entertainment. Hana's lyrics instead seem to paint a more flowery painting, not of one just rising from failure, but conquering it. The frequent mentions of immortality (presumably through his music being remembered for ages), and the return of freedom once thought not possible solidify this belief.

Junsu is a legend, and while Hana is not a new Flower, it is nonetheless a fantastic example of Junsu carving his own path, and a strong return with a new veil for one of the greatest musicians of the 21st century.

Rating: 8.75/10

Image Source: Kpopmap