Daniel K., or Daniel Kang, may have been the center of the popular eleven-piece Wanna One, but he has now proved that he is more than just another boy-band member through the efforts of his first solo EP, Color on Me. In some ways, the name Color on Me reflects the lack of depth in Daniel K., or Daniel Kang, ‘s first solo effort. The former Wanna One member has offered a fairly flat and predictable piece of work, drawing inspiration from the trendy R&B and EDM style similar to some of the productions Wanna One became known for releasing.
Intro (Through the Night)
The sound on the introduction offers a clear taste of what is to come; cue Owl City-esque sounds, lengthy breakdowns and relatively uninventive lyrics. It could almost be the introduction music to a YouTube channel.
Color
Possibly the best song on the 13 minute EP, with a more interesting combination of electronic sounds and simplistic piano cords. Kang’s low voice is able to mesh to the variety of sounds, with the additional duplication production added sensibly and with taste. There is a clear sense of effort placed into the creation of the track, although it feels like it is missing something; some color perhaps.
What Are You Up To
The next track is a more fun addition to the EP, with the rhythm drawing similarities to a steel drum. The instrumental itself sounds vibrant, bright and playful. Kang’s vocal contributions do not have the same sort of energy, which creates a periodically uncomfortable atmosphere. Again, while the song itself has had thought placed into it, it still falls somewhat short of what is to be expected from an artist who has already released music.
Horizon
Here, instrumentals seem to have been pulled back, creating a sense of minimalism. The choir-like vocals found in areas are also an interesting addition, but would have been improved with an additional lower vocal to accompany and ground it. It is a short piece, and feels as if there was some fear in continuing to develop it; Color on Me is just over thirteen minutes in total, indicating that each song is
I Hope
This is an enjoyable closing note to the EP, tying together elements from previous songs; a joyful melody reflecting the one found on What Are You Up To, a vocal contribution not dissimilar to that on Color and sections with less instrumentation such as that experimented with on Horizon. It is a closing sound which suggests care in placement and a desire to make the EP come across like a full body of work.
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As a whole, it isn’t a poor effort at all, it just falls short of what I had anticipated from Daniel K. It does draw from the sounds that he is familiar with, with the track Horizon suggesting that there is an element of experimentation there. However, the desired depth is missing. I hope that this experimentation is more present in future productions, offering something fresh. I am sure that he will be able to do so while also retaining the relaxed sound that Wanna One fans are familiar with.
