[ALBUM REVIEW] RAVI’s First Solo Full Album “El Dorado”: The Rockstar Cometh

Ravi (real name Kim Wonsik) released his first solo album “EL DORADO” on Feb 24 to avid reception from old and new fans alike. He has just begun his “comeback” stage with the single “ROCKSTAR” featuring seasoned hip hop artist Paloalto.

Comeback is not quite correct – it is a change of pace for Ravi, who has been spending the better part of a year establishing and building his new hip hop label GROOVL1N . He is officially promoting on music shows for the first time as a GROOVL1N artist despite having over seven years of experience on the comeback and promotion trail.

Ravi in a featured editorial for the latest GQ Korea

Whilst Ravi dabbles heavily in hip hop and deep trap music, his range is much wider than that. One can see by his choice of singles released over the years as a solo artist – he can make sellable commercial pop and hip hop just as easily as the heavier underground sound that he returns to time and again.

Ravi released various urban and dance pop tracks featuring K-Pop darlings such as MAMAMOO Solar (“Leopard”), Park Jimin (“Nirvana”) and Chungha (“live”). He then topped off the streak of catchy pop songs with a return to trap and a heavier hip hop sound with his double EP “Limitless” late last year.

His last single from 2019, the intense and layered “ASURA”, features all the artists in the GROOVL1N stable (Cold Bay, Xydo and Chillin Homie). The track makes rich cultural and lyrical references that build on the conceptual construct of his brand of music – placing him and his artists as the Asian divine mythical deities of the same name – thus successfully adding to the idea of himself and his crew as uniquely Asian, homegrown hustlers striving to make good on their promises to deliver.

L-R: Xydo, Cold Bay, Ravi, Chillin Homie of GROOVL1N

Even the very name of his company, GROOVL1N, is a portmanteau of “groove” and “goblin”. This puts his brand firmly in a musical and cultural context that ascribes to it a sense of grounded ambition flying high.

Perhaps Ravi makes a reference to asura as the “ghost-faced killer” in his lyrics, or perhaps he is directly referring to the rapper of the same name from the Wu-Tang Clan, an obvious inspiration to him – either way, the song is dramatic, intense, very hip hop and yet listenable and engaging to more than just hip hop enthusiasts.

What Makes the Rockstar

The single “Rockstar” was a bit of a surprise for fans in the know. The song was first performed at VIXX’s last concert, Live Fantasia Parallel, in late 2019. Starlights were under the impression that since “Rockstar” was performed during his transition from VIXX rapper to independent label owner, it was unlikely to be released as Jellyfish Entertainment, VIXX’s record label and management company, had the rights to it.

When the track was revealed as the title single of “El Dorado”, the anticipation and hype amongst fans was high.

Ravi upped the ante by featuring Paloalto and enhanced the experience with a music video that captures the allure of the original choreography. He makes pop music references which enriches the viewer’s appreciation of this particular concept of “Rockstar”.

“Rockstar” was co-written by Ravi and long-time producing partner YUTH. Paloalto’s lyric contribution was the new rap he laid over the track (its previous incarnation was simply Ravi throughout the whole track).

The song begins with a sample of Freddie Mercury’s description of his and Queen’s song-writing process with David Bowie for their collaboration “Under Pressure”. In the MV, Ravi examines his image in a dressing-room mirror, wearing the iconic red and blue lightning strike make up that David Bowie sported for his character “Aladdin Sane”.

The song itself isn’t so much rock as it is indicative of rock themes and motifs: the idea that hard work makes a rock star; that breaking the mould shouldn’t be feared but exalted; that the struggle to the top is borne on the backs of those who went before; that it is time to get real. Leather, blood, sweat – the good fight.

Whilst the only real rock element musically is the attitude and the live guitar over a straight 4/4 rock drum beat, the song boasts a throbbing, hard-hitting, bottom-heavy bass and drum rollick under overtones of hip hop and dance, with a clean middle when the drop comes – and the drop hits the spot in so many ways.

Paloalto’s rap is droning and driving, his familiar warm tone a striking contrast to Ravi’s sometimes metallic, clear and ringing tone despite them both having similarly low and husky voices. The combination works and the song benefits from the driving of the straight rock beat that never lets up during the verse and chorus.

The light, synth-y and almost tropical vibed-guitar treatment to the verse riffs, the visual feast that is the MV, the choreography which employs elements of krumping and marching, the encroaching anthemic and stadium feeling of the song. It all makes it a sumptuous, multi-layered and ultimately satisfying eargasm of an experience listening to “Rockstar”.

Ravi showing off his tumbling skills during his comeback stages for “Rockstar”.

What is the El Dorado

Besides the single, the rest of the album showcases several elements distinct to Ravi’s music style: a dedication to trap and hip hop with a keen sense of style and palatability, collaborative efforts and a particular lyricism that makes his writing and rapping style uniquely his. He tells a story and is not afraid to employ drama or play with words.

On a first listen, the album seems ponderous and introspective, with tracks heavy-laden with trap genre features such as deep bass lines and drums, high-hat trills, and a kind of stark melancholy vibe. Particular aural standouts are the single “Rockstar” and the re-worked older track, “Where Am I”.

The use of contrasts, such as vocal opposites and styles, or generated sounds that hover between the southern banjo and a recognisably Asian wind or string instrument. The guest list is impressive and deep, displaying either a rich appreciation of established and underground rappers alike, or a somewhat streetwise openness to capturing markets across many audiences within the K-hip hop or rap scene.

Ravi has taken a leaf from this book and delivers value in ways that are unexpected – hard to do with the decidedly un-K-pop nature of most of his solo music. “Rockstar” gives the new fan a taste of his more commercial, palatable musical persona – and draws the listener in to hear the rest of his musical story.

Prior to this the story has been Ravi’s complex and personal re-telling of the Will to Power trope; that the human success story is self-built; that possibility is a way of life, a philosophy. And yet, there are moments where aspiration is laced with intensity or sensuality or even whimsy – and the listener often finds themselves stopping to contemplate and revel in very human experiences – such as the deep breath of intimacy between two people. It is at once intellectual and very deeply human.

As a solo artist and TV entertainer Ravi engages the listener and audience with his own affable personality, quick wit and sharp observations and humour. He is well-read and this contrasts with his seeming obtuseness onscreen to create a likeable and surprisingly astute character.

One could confidently say that this aspect shines through in two ways on the album: Ravi’s way with words and his vocal dynamics.

For new listeners to Ravi’s first solo offering under GROOVL1N, we’ve compiled a little taster of each track in the album. In no particular order:

EL DORADO

This opener to the album is an introduction on so many levels – a statement and a declaration of both intent and achievement. Similarly to “DOBERMAN” which appears later in the album, it is a short identifier of self and brand, and leaves little signatures of style in the listener’s experience of the album’s soundscape.

LO-FI

Featuring Sik-K, the track “LO-FI” has vaguely British New Wave Alternative Rock guitar vibes a la The Cure and Morrissey, despite its distinctly trap and hip hop elements. Whilst the track has melancholy vibes, its charm is in its atmospheric and dramatic and sweeping mood building. Besides “Rockstar” and “Where Am I”, one could say this song and “Goddess” have the broadest appeal of all the album songs.

GODDESS

“Goddess” begins with the whispery clean vocals of GROOVL1N artist Xydo. Xydo’s high and bright vocals serve as a counterpoint to Ravi’s bass, something that has worked for Ravi since the start of his boy group career as well as sub-unit stint where he was paired with VIXX’s high-toned Leo to great success. Seeing the female subject of his songs as someone to adore, is a recurring mindset throughout Ravi’s songs – one would say to the point of worship, as one could surmise from such lyrics as “you make me gather up my two hands… you’re my goddess” and the revelatory “You’re mine – No, I’m yours”.

As they say in the internets, *swoons*.

PO$EI / DREAMCATCHER

“Po$ei”, featuring Khundi Panda, and “Dreamcatcher” featuring Reddy and BILL STAX, appear consecutively in the album listing and were performed as a medley for the second single of Ravi’s stages. While they seem to hold significance for Ravi because of this, they are quite heavy trap tracks and were choreographed with an almost lyrical, conceptual street style. They might have been chosen to feature as the second combined single for the subject matter, and to hint at Ravi’s deeper trap leanings musically, for listeners not yet familiar with his style.

DOBERMAN

“Doberman” featuring G2 is a quick foray into Ravi’s career-long associations with dogs. He has been compared to Dobermans, used barks and growls as a part of his rapper’s vocabulary and is a devoted dog owner. However, the song defines the swag that comes with the hustle, and how in a world of dogs, or hustlers, he is the Doberman.

YEOPO

“Yeopo” showcases Ravi’s sometimes barking style of rap, which contrasts well with the rounded, raspy, assonant vocal tone of another of GROOVL1N’s artist Chillin Homie. Chillin Homie is barely out of his teens but supremely confident with his attitude and style. Guest artist Rohann balances out the contrast with a drawling, drawn out rap on this track.

FULL TIME DIGGA

“Full Time Digga” features an opening riff reminiscent of the musical scale of southeast Asian music. A slightly dissonant, metallic gong-like sound gives the song a choppy quality further complemented by Ravi and guest artists sokodomo and Raf Sandou’s diverse rapping styles. The pacing never lets up and neither does the attitude.

KNIFE DANCE

Rather like “Asura”, “Knife Dance” has mythical overtones in the lyrics and seems like an auditory expression of fighting styles: Ravi, the leader and mood master, reading the situation and pulling the strings, sends out his first fighter. First Xydo, high and keen, to give warning; then comes Cold Bay, smooth and silky like water, who, with gentleness and stillness, can wear you down without you realising. And finally, the spitfire Chillin Homie, angry, unafraid, brassy – and ready to tell you who’s on top, who’s ahead, who’s monster. And it’s definitely not you.

“My tongue is blazing, I’m on savage mode” – Chillin Homie

WHERE AM I

Finally, “Where Am I” is a re-working of a track originally recorded with Microdot and synonymous with Ravi’s initial steps towards artistic independence. During his introductory concerts under GROOVL1N, the song was re-worked to include the voices of all their artists, and has come to serve as a finale number and crowd-pleaser. A positive and anthemic song that will be indelibly marked on the audience’s appreciation of Ravi, his music, and what he stands for.

If I were to choose a clear favourite, the single “Rockstar” would be it. Highly recommended tracks from the album would be “Knife Dance”, “Lo-Fi” and “Full Time Digga”. Every song has depth and is intriguing to the hip hop listener’s ear, but the whole album may be too hip hop for the K-pop fans’ tastes – especially with the prevalent use of autotune, deep trap heavy tracks and the predominantly brag stance so fundamental to the genre.

“El Dorado” is true to Ravi’s style and form, with the standout “Rockstar” more representative of his commercial appeal whilst engaging the listener with the concepts of identity, the hustle to the top and the battles scars on the road to success.

‘El Dorado’ is available on all music streaming sites