2024 In Review: Day 4 – R&B and Soul

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2024 In Review

1. Introduction + Best Album Art
2. Song of the Year
3. Album of the Year
4. R&B and Soul
5. Rock and Alternative (Jan. 18)
6. Rap and Hip-hop (Jan. 19)
7. Dance and Electronic (Jan. 20)
8. Pop and Ballad (Jan. 21)
9. Folk and Country (Jan. 22)
10. Jazz, Crossover and World (Jan. 23)
11. Best Collaborative Work (Jan. 24)
12. Rookie Artist of the Year (Jan. 25)
13. Artist of the Year (Jan. 26)
14. Other Recognition (Jan. 27)
15. Concluding Remarks (Jan. 28)

The R&B scene continued experimenting in 2024, with notable blending against dance and jazz music: every year there are more and more tracks that could be at home in this category or another one. Nostalgia seemed a strong keyword as well, with multiple works hearkening back to earlier eras and borrowing from their sounds.

Given our series rules, Bibi – 밤양갱 (Bam Yang Gang), which was named our Song of the Year on Day 2, is not eligible to reappear in this category.

The “Next 10” and honorable mention lists are sorted by artist name. Bolded honorable mentions received particularly serious consideration for the Next 10.

Best R&B and Soul Album 2024

Sumin, Slom – Miniseries 2

As a project between two trendsetting producers, Miniseries 2 sounded every bit as sleek as it should: the album’s delicious rhythm sections came alive in crisp instrumentation (“Tic Toc Tic Toc” and “Endless Night” some of the most memorable examples), and Sumin’s writing popped with vivid imagery and incisive expression (see the whirlwind of “Why Why Why”). But the album’s most interesting moments may actually have been when it tones down, like the forlorn and graceful “Just a Breakup” and the irresistible mundanity of “Sorry”. A remarkable evenness and consistency helped Sumin and Slom to entrench themselves as the scene’s premier project duo with this one.

The Runner-up

Jung In, Mild Beats – 정인 & 마일드 비츠 (Jung In & Mild Beats)

Jung In & Mild Beats abounded with infectious, freeform energy from the outset, as Jung In’s scatting jams along a simmering jazz groove in album-opener “What?”. Mild Beats’ penchant for heavy, smoky atmosphere provided just the right backdrop for Jung In’s moody voice, and she put in a career performance. From the alluring tonic of “Midnight Running” to the ringside ferocity of “Fate Fighter”, a labor of unconstrained, unbounded effort from the two veteran artists.

The Next 10

Babylon – Ego 90’s Part 3

Dress – How Deep Is Your Love

Jay Park – The One You Wanted

Jinbo – Summer Freak: Sun, Rain, Love

Jooyoung – Sphere

Moon Sujin – Blessed

Silly Silky – 성인식 (Début)

Sole – Time Machine

Wildberry – Agape

Xin Seha – CN X

Best R&B and Soul Song 2024

Naul – 1993
Lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Naul

Naul has been pursuing the replication and reinterpretation of 20^thcentury R&B and soul styles for a decade now, but “1993” is presumably a successor to the 2023 release “1985”. Like that track, the focus is on the fidelity of the arrangement (Naul doesn’t even start singing until nearly three minutes in), which is predictably exquisite. Satisfyingly deep bass and pads, sensual electric piano, and cowbell-tapping beat combine into a uniquely rich soundscape. Even in this modern era of R&B there must still be a place for a spirited study of the past, and this year Naul’s dedication and vision made that place the very top.

The Runner-up

Sole – 그럼에도 Love (Still Love)
Lyrics and composition by Sole and Thama
Arrangement by Thama

Turning the clock back a little less, Sole’s Time Machine was a sumptuous feast of 2000s R&B and a serious study in its own right. “Still Love” maybe didn’t have the instantly placeable sound of “Gone” or the more sophisticated composition of “1minute”, but it was probably the most well-rounded of them all with its acoustic groove and rich harmony. Sole’s voice seems to softly envelop the beat, and the moody melody settles into a broad and accessible chorus.

The Next 10

A.Train – When She Smokes

Bibi – 데레 (Derre)

Fisherman – 3uphoria (Feat. Wonstein)

Jung In, Mild Beats – Fate Fighter (Feat. Jony)

Ruru – Good News

Silly Silky – Romantica

Sion – Avoid!

Sole – 1minute

Sumin, Slom – 보통의 이별 (Just a Breakup)

Youra – Worm in the Apple

Albums

Ashmute – The World You Like
Babylon – Mood
Blish – Wanderland
DPR Cream – Psyche: Red
Doyi Lee – Eeliyod
Fisherman – DLC
G0nny – Ours
Gist – Gist the Artist
Jaehyun – J
Jinbo, Hersh, PoPoMo – PoPoMo
Kaiavant – 봄 (Spring)
Kayla – 111
Kiss of Life – Lose Yourself
Meenoi – This Is My Life
Minjo – Moss and Pillow
Ruru – Body
Seori – Fake Happy
Sion – Socialavoidance
Twlv – Diminished
ZuBaeky – Maybe I’m the Problem

Songs

ARrC – Shadow
Ashmute – Unknown
B!ni – 대출 (Loan)
B!ni – 득과 실 (Pros and Cons)
B!ni – 쫌! (Jjom!) (Feat. Since)
Babylon – Christian Dior (Feat. Jiselle)
Babylon – Private Time (Feat. Adora)
Baekhyun – Pineapple Slice
Bibi – Burn It (Feat. Dean)
Bibi – Sugar Rush
Blish – Wander (Feat. eAeon)
Blish – Wanderland (Feat. Shelhiel)
Cadejo – 오늘 (Today)
Colde – Nirvana Blues
DJ Wegun – Trading Places (Feat. DeVita, Jay Park)
DPR Cream – Darling
DPR Ian – Limbo
DPR Ian – Saint
Dean – NASA (Feat. FKJ)
Desert Flower, Woo Jee-won – Kiss Touch Me
Doyi Lee – Dear God, (Feat. Miso)
Doyi Lee – We OK
Dress – Emoji (Feat. Jane, M/n)
Dress – Is the Only (Feat. Sion, Lee Kang-seung)
Dress – That’s Why (Feat. Jonghan)
Dress – 금 (Crack) (Feat. eAeon, Ahn Da-young)
Fisherman – Slide (Feat. Sumin, Giriboy)
Flora – Alive
G0nny – Playlist
G0nny – 우리만의 비밀 (Secret of Ours)
Gabby Onme – We’ll Be Okay
Gist – For U (Feat. Loco, Coogie)
Gureumy – Overthinking
Hoody, Jason Lee – 별 (The Star)
Hunjiya – Palindrome
Hyngsn – Timing
Izan – Silent)
Izyperry – 기억의 집 (House of Memories)
Jaehyun – Roses
Jaehyun – Smoke
Jay Moon – Through the Sky
Jay Moon – 공중분해 (Through the Sky)
Jay Park – Gimme a Minute (Feat. Chungha)
Jay Park – Taxi Blurr (Feat. Natty)
Jay Park – Your/My
Jhnovr – How Much I Love You
Jinbo – Love U Like I
Jinbo – 구론산 (Guronsan) (Feat. Yuleum, Jason Lee)
Jiselle – Bad Time (Feat. NOA)
Jiselle – Like a Movie (Feat. Yoon Da-hye)
Jooyoung – Fever (Feat. Kaash Paige)
Jooyoung – Sunshine (Feat. Jiwoon)
Jung In, Mild Beats – Midnight Running
Kaiavant – 이 도시 밖에 (Fill Up the Glass)
Katie – Unbreak
Kayla – Come to Me
Kayla – Endlessly
Kayla – Place Where You Wanna Be
Kiss of Life – Chemistry
Kiss of Life – R.E.M
Kwon Eun-bi – Unnatural
Lee Bada – 토닥토닥 (Pat! Pat!)
Maalib & WRKMS – How Many Rocks? (Feat. Joonie)
Maalib & WRKMS – Vegabonds Intro (Feat. Joonie)
Meenoi – No. 3
Meenoi – 살고 있어 (Living)
Merrymerryseoul – Delivery (by BlankOnSpeaker)
Minjo – Briefly
Minjo – Chroma
Moon Sujin – Gotta $ay (Feat. Gemini)
Moon Sujin – Mine (Feat. G.Soul)
Moon Sujin – Orange Clouds (Feat. Junny)
Moon Sujin – Starry Night
Moon Sujin – Stay 911
NCT Dream – Breathing
NCT Dream – Unknown
Nayeon – Count It
Oceanfromtheblue – Moon Walk
Oh My Girl – Sway (You & I) (Yubin, Arin)
Onew – Focus
Osun – Golden Ratio
OwaJI – Summer Madness
Paulkyte – Grown Up Man
Purynn – 솜사탕 (Somsatang)
Riize – Honestly
Rovv & Leanon – 67 in a 65
Seori – Broken
Seoseo – Back and Forth
Silly Silky – Bitchness
Silly Silky – Un-lock
Sion – Expired!
Sion – Incognito!
Snzae – Reset
Sohyang – Blessing (Feat. YDG)
Sokodomo – I Love You (Feat. Sumin)
Sole – Situationship (Feat. Thama)
Sole – 미련한 사랑 (Gone)
Sumin, Slom – 개인사 (None of Your Business)
Sumin, Slom – 왜, 왜, 왜 (Why, Why, Why)
Sumin, Slom – 텅 빈 밤 (Endless Night)
Suyo – Dear. Jenny
Suyo – Run Forest Run
Taemin – déjà vu
Thama – Mileage (Feat. Gaeko)
Wendy – Vermilion
Wheein – Coco Water
Wildberry – Castaway
Wonstein – Valentine
Xin Seha – 5 (Feat. 9m88)
Xin Seha – 8
Yeeul – V8. (Feat. Park Hyeon-jin & Isakitokia)
Yegny – Ballet Shoes
Yegny – Re-back
Youra – 101 (Home Home)
Yusuii – 이불 (Blanket)
ZuBaeky – waitaminute