About a week ago, I came across the music video for Taemin’s song “Drip Drop”. I’ve heard about him before, I‘m familiar with SHINee and a few of their songs (“View” is a dope song), but there was nothing about Taemin that stood out for me. That is until I heard “Drip Drop” and realized how wrong I was.
“Drip Drop” is an addictive bass heavy blend of deep house and new jack swing. The lyrics are sensual, using water and ocean metaphors to describe how a man feels about his lover.
“I cannot escape from the motion that’s swallowing up the big ocean in front of my eyes
I need to bring myself together
Stop worrying and grasp the steer again
Tick tock (hold it) knock out beneath the (broken) compass
I pull up the anchor again
Force through the headwind and sail for her”.
One of my favorite songs from Press It is the lead single “Press Your Number”. The retro-leaning urban-pop track, produced by Bruno Mars and The Stereotypes, shows off Taemin’s breathy vocals. The song starts off playfully with the lyrics “After waking up alone on a dark night, like a habit, I’m thinking of you and I’m feeling freaky”, but soon turns into a confessional as Taemin struggles to come to terms with the end of his relationship.
“I always thought break ups were easy
But why isn’t it easy with you?
When did this become so deep?
Oh girl there’s something about you”.
Both songs (and their music videos) highlight Taemin’s artistry, his prodigious dancing skills and his smooth vocal. His album Press It shows Taemin coming into his own as a singer and performer. I can’t wait to see what else he has hidden in his sleeve.
