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Yultron & Jay Park - ‘On Fire’ EP Review

A strong collaborative effort from two experienced artists.

By Nathan SartainPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Yultron and Jay Park are hardly strangers to each other. The former, an EDM artist and DJ, has worked with Park, a Korean hip-hop mogul, on the fan-favourite track “Forget About Tomorrow” back at the start of 2018, as well as on songs like “Bo$$” and “Thuggin 4 My Baby.” It was the clichéd match made in heave; a collaborative pairing that provided Park with an opportunity for his soulful, sleek vocals to be partnered with irresistible beats and huge, anthem-like production.

Fortunately, the two have kept their working relationship in tact, and have today (August 30) released the EP On Fire. A four-track offering that shows just how good the two work as a unit, it’s a party-starting release, and one that could find a home on any playlist for the foreseeable future.

Opening the proceedings is the titular “On Fire,” a deep-house-cum-R&B track that highlights the quality of Park’s refined, unwavering vocals as he sings over beats full of thick, layered bass. The drop-style chorus, an uncompromising, distorted kaleidoscope of structured noise and intriguing sounds, is the perfect yin to Park’s yang and ups the ante brilliantly. It’s a fast-paced club banger that is tailor-made to be played at full volume, and will easily go down as one of the year’s best.

“Westcoast” follows, and is a smoother, slightly more sonically restrained track that still packs a heavy punch. An honest love song, Park’s voice once again shines as the tight, tropical-inspired instrumentation takes more of a backseat, subtle role. It still shines, though, as the bass-fused synths will have you bopping along without realising. All in all, it’s a strong offering, and one that provides the listener with a chance to catch their breath after the hugely up-tempo preceding cut.

“Say Goodbye” is one of the more structurally diverse songs on the EP, ditching all traditional formulas, and choosing to only use one chorus—a drop after Sik-K’s opening verse. It’s a smart move as it allows for the featured artists (previously mentioned Sik-K and Ph-1, both signees to Park’s H1GHR MUSIC label) to shine in their respective parts. The former raps superbly over simplistic trap beats, with the latter doing the same over more melodic instrumentation. 32-year-old Park finishes the proceedings with a short-but-sweet singing section that breaks things up nicely and allows for a soft transition into the final track.

The closer, “We Be Wildin,” changes gears once more. It’s an abrasive, sharp-sounding EDM/hip-hop track that shows off the AOMG star’s impressive flow and gives Yultron a chance to create a drop full of warped chime sounds and bassy synths. The biggest surprise, though, comes in the form of HAON, who delivers a show-stealing verse full of energy, pace, and vigour. It’s a star-making performance, and a feature that takes the song to a whole new level. “We Be Wildin” is a risky curtain-closer given the fact the track is very experimental and in-your-face stylistically, but one that pays dividends, and takes all three artists out of their proverbial comfort zones.

It should be noted that the second half of the EP does come across as a slight H1GHR MUSIC showcase, considering all three featured artists are signed to Park’s label. But, that’s a positive, as it holds evidence that the future is bright once 32-year-old Jay Park chooses to pass the torch and hang up his microphone for good, and proves that some of the brightest stars in South-Korea belong to one of his labels.

All in all, On Fire is an excellent EP that is full of diversity, risk-taking, and free-form styles. Nothing is confined to a rulebook, but rather boundaries are pushed, genres are fused, and everybody who features is utilised perfectly. Yultron and Jay Park have successfully created a masterstroke of an extended play, and one that should be hooked up to every loudspeaker on every beach and played in every club for the remaining weeks of Summer.

EP Rating - 9/10

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About the Creator

Nathan Sartain

A lifelong music fan with diverse taste.

Email - [email protected]

Twitter - @nathan_sartain

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