Mino - 'TAKE' Album Review

If XX was a bold, reasonably solid first attempt at entering the solo arena for Song Mino, then TAKE is a natural, but nonetheless exhilarating progression. Bolder, grander and more sonically expansive, the WINNER member's sophomore full-length effort is streets ahead of its predecessor, and breaks free of any typical pop formulae.

It isn't as if conventions were ever an issue for Mino, though. Perpetually a true artist - further proved by his paintings being showcased in an exhibition at the notorious Saatchi Gallery in London - TAKE is a defining moment for the hip-hop star, and is an LP which is stylistically idiosyncratic, yet as easily accessible as the glossiest chart-dominating pop banger.

Opening with the sombre “Love and a boy,” Mino pulls no punches in detaching himself from his usually confident, charismatic rap stylings. Instead, we get a marked maturity, with the K-Pop star brandishing feelings as “slippery” and “savage,” bolstered by visceral lines depicting a harsh break-up. It's a smart opener, one aided by its tonally thick rhythm guitar, urgent vocal pace and thrashing percussive backdrop during its raging chorus, and something which stands out as a tangible reminder of the artistic growth the 28-year-old has undertaken over the last few years.

“Run away,” a song syringed with tropical synths, subdued singing and enrapturing bursts of brass, follows, penned about wanting somebody to "leave without a trace" so that they can never be chased back. Again, it's forthright, with impactful lyricism bombarding the listener, setting up a phenomenal dichotomy between the overriding themes and the breezy, radio-friendly consistent production. As bold a title-track as one could wish for, “Run away” may not be the explosive, magnetically rousing effort “Fiance” was, but it is a nonetheless phenomenal piece of music.

It isn't long before the swagger synonymous with Mino appears, however, with “Ok man,” a collaboration with iKON's (and former MOBB partner) Bobby tearing up all prior signs of insecure pensiveness. Driven by charring, twisting industrial synths and jarred electronics, the two hip-hop artists pack lyrical venom into the bitesize track which serves a necessary purpose as a pace-quickening diversion from the opening themes of lost love.

“Wa,” which opens with a soft, light piano melody, shifts emotions once more, switching to the sentiment of a gushing kind of love, delivered over methodically paced trap beats and a repeating integral melody. Zion.T's feature is impressive too, showing the typically eccentric star in a more reserved capacity, whilst still allowing his vocal style to shine through. Complete with a chillwave-like outro, “Wa” is one of the more subtly brilliant efforts on an album full of obvious quality.

Elsewhere, “I want to” shines as a excellently smooth offering, punctuated by clock ticks and accelerated by autotuned vocals, pacy rapping and summer-tinged synth-lines. Similarly “Daylight,” with its seamless melodies and shuffling trap beats, ensures there is no mid-release dip in quality, operating as a consistently hazy pop-cum-hip-hop number which excels predominantly in its relaxing, authentic vibe.

As the LP enters the second half, “Hop In” follows up with more of the hazy dynamics, fluidly moving in a freeform manner. Fluctuating between synth-leads and synth-pads, the trap-leaning offering is a bit more basic than other cuts across the release, but the addition of DPR LIVE does infuse a diversified aura, and livens the track enough for it to uphold the established quality from what preceded it.

“Pow!” slows things down substantially, with colourful rhythm guitar and higher-register singing taking the lead on a offering written all about the punchy feeling of love. Conceptually it’s tight, with the ever-changing instrumentation tinging the song with assortment, and the pacy drum-fill in the chorus adding a more traditional atmosphere to what is essentially a rock-leaning hip-hop number.

In the final third, the more weighty concept of love is tackled more understatedly. “Click” offers a dream-like keyboard melody and restricted trap beats before exploding into a frenetic, brass-induced chorus chock full of vigour. It’s irrefutably catchy, and sustains momentum unabatedly before its abrupt change into “Han river view,” a smooth R&B offering which favours sleek melodies and soft, raspy vocals.

Amongst the plethora of potential hits, few stand out as explicitly as “Book store.” Although just over two-minutes, the skittering percussion of the xylophone, vocal harmonies and atmospheric tone pack a weighty punch, amplified by an earworm of a chorus which leads straight into a rap verse in which Mino appears to barely take a breath. BewhY’s addition, and his electronic vocals supplement the track greatly too, and in turn mould a star-studded B-side enthralling in its sonic explorations.

As the LP winds down, “Sunrise,” the penultimate cut, offers an autotune-heavy acoustically-led pop track vehement in its emotional rawness (despite its electronic manipulations). “She is my sunrise,” Mino sings, almost yearning for his love, desperately wishing to escape being “in pain in the dark.” Beautifully vulnerable, it’s a fresh side to the hip-hop sensation which brings manifold results.

And finally, there is “Lost in a crowd.” A rapid acoustic track, it’s an offering which documents Mino’s inner feelings incorporated from his journaling. Melodically endearing, it’s a breezy closer which feels conversational in structure, and softly pulls the curtain on an album which is excellently diverse, and consummately produced.

In conclusion, TAKE is a truly phenomenal effort; a 13-track record which is a stark improvement on what has came before it, and showcases Mino’s unparalleled artistry. Consistently daring, enjoyable and inventive, it’s no stretch to say that this is one of the finest releases of the year.

Album Rating: 9.5/10