Coupled with the album’s level of polish and the rarity of this brand of electronica in Korea, Soundscape does start with a leg up over other albums in interesting qualities. Even the trippy album cover is interesting to look at, although it seems like a pretty clear homage to DJ Okawari. Melodies are just as volatile as the moods. The sound is crisp and densely written throughout. Twelve tracks isn’t exactly extraordinary for a full-fledged release, but each track is crafted with diversity, and more importantly, listening pleasure in mind. For starters, there’s a ton to listen to here. So his first studio album, Soundscape, more than deserves its hype. Not only has his previous work satisfied the Korean market’s small demand for this brand of music, but he’s also achieved an expansive scope of diversity and experimentation within the genre. So for Sentimental Scenery, arguably the most gifted (and by far the most prolific) shibuya-kei artist in Korea, even accomplishing that feat is half a success.
The Free Tempos, the Daishi Dances, even the Nujabeses of the world–they will always be the golden standard, and it’s an uphill battle to distinguish oneself from the pack. Being a shibuya-kei artist is potentially exasperating–no matter what you do, you’re probably going to be compared to genre legends.
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