Gosh, it’s been ages since I wrote about a Kim Jaejoong track! He’s spent most of his recent music career in the Japanese market, but now he’s back with a full Korean album. To put it in perspective, the last time this happened The Bias List had only been around for about a month!
It’s always satisfying to hear a veteran artist return, especially with material as buoyant as Nobody Like You. The song feels like waking up, opening the curtains and being hit with a beam of morning light. There’s an optimistic quality to the music, from the bounding beat to the choir-like arrangement that makes the chorus such a welcome release. True to form, Jaejoong’s gives a virtuosic performance. He’s K-pop royalty for a reason, able to take the reins of a track and propel it to greater heights. On its own, Nobody Like You is a standard pop song. But, it benefits greatly from its bombastic arrangement and skillful vocal.
There’s a veritable army of composers behind this work, but Swedish artist Robin Bengtsson’s name caught my eye in the credits. As a fan of Melodifestivalen/Eurovision even before I came to love K-pop, it’s fun to see crossover between markets and artists. Nobody Like You certainly has a Eurovision feel – big and anthemic and feel-good (plus a little corny). This also plays to Jaejoong’s strengths at this stage of his career. The “edgy rocker” guise worked well for him back in the early-2010’s, but this bold energy feels well-earned and authentic.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
