P1Harmony
Killin' It
Release: February 5, 2024
Article by Aaron Oppheim
P1Harmony's debut album, 때깔 (Killin' It), is an artistic revelation, boundless in its curiosity and creative vision.Â
There's an immense focus on innovation within kpop, which might come off as excessive with how fast-moving and inherently forward-pushing the industry is. After discussing countless comebacks over the last years with other fans of various groups, what seems to be the general consensus is that tirelessly striving to be revolutionary actually takes a back seat to groups honing their specific skills and, often, what is already there. If everyone strives to be revolutionary, will anything truly stand out?Â
This is where 때깔 (Killin' It) excels. Rather than setting out to make a groundbreaking album, the group has consciously approached the creative process as a deep dive into what makes P1Harmony, well.. P1Harmony.Â
P1Harmony, "Killin' It" Album Cover
"You're lucky to have found me," raps Intak at the start of the title track Killin' It, and damn, does he raise a solid point. Unsurprisingly, the first track on any project will have a tremendous impact and influence on how the album is perceived, something the group fully utilises. A lead single is essentially the group's face outward to listeners outside their fanbase and should ideally take on the daunting task of representing the album and its group to new recipients. With its breakneck insistency, Killin' It captivates the listener's attention from the get-go and doesn't let go until track three, Love Story, a moment of serenity and emotional maturity nestled between playful, childlike curiosity.Â
"We've figured out what P1Harmony is good at, what makes us the most impressive and which style fits us best. That is well-represented in the album. Most of all, the album captures well what we, p1h, like the most, so I'm really excited about it," shares leader and vocalist Keeho in an introductory interview leading up to the album's release.Â
Even as someone who has been a listener without knowing much about the group outside of their music for a good while, they stood out as exceptionally steady artists coming together to have fun in the act of creating, which is something I've missed in the barrage of comebacks and debuts. It strings through all they create, an intricate web of visual aspects such as short films, music videos and photo concepts to performance aspects such as choreography and style. Â
"We felt like it would be interesting to showcase each member's unique style rather than focusing only on group choreography so that our individual styles can stand out. Each member practised a lot on those aspects now. Rather than just P1Harmony as a group, we want to highlight individual styles within, allowing each member to shine through," says rapper and dancer Intak.Â
Despite honing what's already there, they spare no expense when incorporating new elements. Tracks like Emergency deal the listener headlong intensity with electric guitar-infused hip-hop, while 2Nite introduce butter smooth funk and R&B, urging the listener to "come as you wish, don't be shy – just come in, shake your body, groove" – all while keeping the core elements of P1Harmony intact, an underlying surety, reflected in tracks like Let Me Love You, where the same elements somehow ring more reminiscent of their signature sound.Â
"I'd like to experiment with more diverse genres, I want to try more bold experiments with different genres. There are still many genres we haven't explored or showcased," reflects Jongseob, who co-wrote the lyrics to the album alongside collaborators and has remarked himself as an exceptionally intriguing voice in rap. Playing with spacing in an almost cocky way, he breathes fresh air into an area often overlooked by those not specifically interested and effortlessly draws the listener's attention. "I tend to focus a lot on the melody and the flow, I guess. I incorporated melody into rap quite often when writing lyrics and melodies for various tracks. It's always on my mind with each release, I deliberately put more effort into creating catchy verses that are more innovative and even more captivating," he continues.Â
"We've taken a bold approach and experimented with our pronunciation, flow, and rhyme in this project to create something quite unique. We hope it resonates with you," says Intak, who, just after Jongseob, is among the highest credited contributors to the album, and resonate it does. Their artistry transcends language barriers, charting and reaching listeners worldwide, culminating in an excitement not merely confined to music.Â
Whether your interest lies in visuals, fashion or dance, they certainly got you covered – and should you be here mainly for the music, well, P1Harmony remains an auditory spectacle to behold.
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