Epik High – Shoebox Review

Epik-High-Shoebox

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Track Listing

  1. Encore
  2. Happen Ending (feat. Cho Won-sun of Roller Coaster)
  3. Rich (feat. Taeyang)
  4. Spoiler
  5. Burj Khalifa (feat. Yankie & Gaeko)
  6. We Fight Ourselves (feat. Younha)
  7. Amor Fati (feat. Kim Jong-wan of Nell)
  8. Born Hater (feat. Beenzino, Verbal Jint, B.I, Mino, Bobby)
  9. Lesson 5 (Timeline)
  10. Life is Good (feat. Jay Park)
  11. Eyes, Nose, Lips (feat. Taeyang)
  12. Shoebox (feat. MYK)

Review

Epik High’s 8th studio album is their second on the YG Entertainment label and features the lead singles Spoiler and Happen Ending. Unlike their last release on YG, the pop tracks are kept to a minimum, and there is a return to the Epik High of old. This is most apparent with the opening track, Encore, which sets the pace for the rest of the album nicely. Good news for those of you who wanted a little more street than sweet when it comes to this group.

The lower tempo and moodier tracks, such as the previously mentioned Spoiler and We Fight Ourselves, tend to have a stronger lasting effect, but if that isn’t your thing, there are plenty of aggressive songs to choose from. Burj Khalifa and Born Hater are good starting points in that case. There are collaborations with a few pop-oriented artists, especially Taeyang (gotta keep it in the YG family, right?), but even those maintain the Hip-Hop sensibilities.

If you didn’t have much love for 99, then this album will certainly bring back the goodwill. There aren’t many faults in Shoebox, and it’s an album that Hip-Hop heads should add to their playlist.

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