Zico - ‘RANDOM BOX’ EP Review

Last year saw Zico go introspective. His genre-bending Thinking LP, an amalgamation of two stellar extended plays which showed the artist at his most vulnerable, was firmly rooted in both obvious, and subtle, self-reflection. Shifting from mid-tempo acoustics (“Balloon”), to striking piano melodies (“The language of flowers”), all the way to abrasive, cocky trap-infused hip-hop (“another level”), the 27-year-old offered a masterclass in musicality throughout the album’s 36-minute runtime, triumphing in his attempts to show a fresher, more self-effacing side to himself. Despite its minimal mainstream popularity, Thinking undoubtedly cemented Zico’s long-term sustainability as part of Korea’s musical backbone, and further proved that he was more than just a surface-level hit-maker.

This year, however, has been a slightly different story. “Any song,” a dancehall-inspired single released in mid-January, catapulted Zico right back into the limelight he had carefully sought to elude not so long ago. Centred around a repeating simplistic piano melody, sprightly percussion and occasional blasts of jazzy brass, the intrinsically sticky track is an anthem for those who can relate to the struggles of wanting temporary escapism. Lyrically astute; accurately depicting the clambering to be able to feel momentary freedom in the midst of monotonous lives through sharp-witted lines, “Any Song” is an uncomplicated musical gem which, in part thanks to a viral TikTok dance challenge, dominated domestic charts.

And now, the KOZ Entertainment CEO is upping the ante with RANDOM BOX, a five-track EP which takes all the brightness and amusement from “Any Song,” and raises it to one-hundred. Syringed with sleek, summer-tinged sonics and accessible melodies, it is certainly Zico at his most pop-inspired, but when the release is so unabatingly crowd-pleasing, why query it?

Beginning the EP is “Summer Hate,” a surefire pop hit built around flourishes of brass, bubbly synths, groove-driven rhythm guitar and undertones of trap. Sonically light, a lot of the track thrives in its energised charisma, favouring radio-friendly composition complete with forthright, good-humoured lyrics. “It’s so freaking hot,” featured artist Rain sings, lamenting the heatwaves that come with summer before the pair dive headfirst into one of the year’s catchiest hooks. As solid a lead-single as you can wish for, “Summer Hate” is inoffensive fun at its best, topped off with a fresh TikTok dance challenge guaranteed to have fans participating in.

The high-spirits show no signs of stopping on “Cartoon,” a Grease-like pop ditty bursting with colour. Powered with fuzzy, filtered guitar riffs and a funky bassline, Zico speedily sing-raps about his gushing attraction to a person he can’t take his eyes off. The later additions of organ sounds and woodwind into the mix help flesh out the instrumentation too, greatly supplementing the song’s tangibly relaxing vibe. An effortless earworm, “Cartoon” brims with poppy magnetism.

“Love & hate,” a collaboration with BIBI, does dial down the zest a little, though. Largely staccato in the verses, with Zico rapping in-between sidechained claps and compressed synths, the song does burst into some form of life during the chorus, whereby sleek vocals are complimented by subtly atmospheric, modestly developed versions of the instrumentals heard before. BIBI’s short feature during the bridge works superbly, her airy vocal delivery benefiting from a stretchy synth backdrop which allows for a smooth segue into one final upbeat chorus. It may be a little formulaic at times, but “Love & hate” continues the flow of the release nicely, whilst also offering a nice breather from the rest of the material.

However, if you are in search of some of the unrelenting, straight-talking swagger heard across Zico’s early mixtapes, “No you can’t,” a hip-hop declaration of confidence, serves plenty of that. Menacing, brooding synths loops and sharply included trap hi-hats provide the backdrop for Zico as he dispatches bar upon bar, venomously deconstructing the wannabes he sees flocking the streets. Chock full of the artist’s bitter sarcasm, it’s a harsh sounding diss-track-esque cut which would certainly steer those he claims “giggle” as they pass by him away from picking a fight, or from harbouring futile ambitions of “taking the year by storm.”

Perhaps surprisingly, although conceivably not so much given the experience of the young CEO, this rasping look at today’s society flows immaculately into “Roommate,” a heartwarming pop-infused number which ditches the aggression for lines about in-sync heartbeats and growing old together. Generally, the song plods along pleasantly, its jazzy undertones and shuffling percussion aiding the softer vocal delivery in creating something moderately soothing. The surprising falsetto at the end of the bridge is a nice inclusion too, even if it does only lead to warped vocals and a colourful rhythm guitar riff seeing the track out to little fanfare. Overall “Roommate” is a good effort, and one that coherently captures the essence of the release in the way an album closer should.

On the whole, RANDOM BOX is a peppier, poppier release for Zico, embracing more refreshing sonics and warmer tones to capture an EP wholly marketable for summer. Engineered by uncompromisingly catchy hooks and choruses, this is chart-friendly music at its finest, yet it does seem somewhat harsh to brand it as such. After all, the release is so astutely composed - supplemented by the assistance of excellent producer Poptime - that it consistently evades the tropes and cliche often brought upon by embracing mainstream maximalism. Thus, Zico has still managed to conjure something quintessentially his own and, just as importantly, something efficiently enjoyable. Near flawless in execution, RANDOM BOX is a fine-flowing, pop-indebted yet still wholly diverse extended play worthy of anyone’s time.

EP Rating - 9.5/10