Singer-songwriter Amber Liu, formerly of K-Pop group f(x), released her latest EP, “y?.” The EP is a multi-lingual solo album that features KPOP rapper Penial (from BTOB), MaSiWei (from Higher Brothers), Junoflo, and Blow Fever.
Liu is like an open book with her music videos and lyrics. In both “complicated” and “blue,” she details her listeners about her heartbreak, her disappointment, and loss. The scenery for both videos is gritty and melancholic. In “blue,” Liu is seen breaking several items, being in a flickering dark room alone, and drinking her pain away, while in “complicated” we are shown a blurry video of her walking solo along the waves as the sunsets. Her soft voice is a comfort to the listeners, but the heartbreak within the lyrics is a false sense of security.
On the lighter note, “make it better,” “vegas,” and “neon” are on the catchy pop song spectrum. They will lift your spirits after listening to the previous two tracks. “Make it better” is a synth-pop song with an upbeat rhythm, but don’t be fooled! It is another song about heartbreak, but it isn’t as dispiriting as “complicated.”
“Vegas” is about reminiscing on the better times of a relationship. Vegas was their comfort place, peace, and tranquility. Liu sings about how she wishes she could return to that place, both to keep peace with herself, but also within that relationship. The whole album is so devastatingly heartbreaking but there is a sense of beauty in being this explicit and open. Liu is not afraid to bare it all to her listeners.
“I can’t see us, but I know that I can bet on us / Believe in me, like I do you, I know it’s hard to trust / So take my hand let’s get lost, within these city lights“
“vegas” by Amber Liu
“Neon” is a fun, funky-addictive pop song. The video has a retro vibe with an element of chaotic energy. It’s really sporadic and random, but you can tell that Liu had a lot of fun with both the song and the video. It’s a nice contrast to all the seriousness of her entire EP.
Favorite Songs:
“make it better,” “complicated,” and “vegas.”
Final Thoughts:
The album features a nice range of variety. There are elements of pop, rap, r&b, and there are no shortages of ballads. Just goes to show that as time goes on, Liu continues to demonstrate both her singing chops, her comfortability in front of her audience, and her ability to grow as an artist since her days in f(x).
Stream “y?” here:
