MAMAMOO’s Whee In captures soulful vibe and enjoys sense of freedom in WHEE – Album Review

By Nandini Iyengar -

January 17, 2022 - 4:46 PM IST

South Korean female group MAMAMOO member Whee In is back with her second EP WHEE. The album was released on January 16, 2022. The album marks her first release under her new label The L1VE, which is owned by VIXX’s RAVI. He also took part in writing and composing for the album.

MAMAMOO’s Whee In captures soulful vibe and enjoys sense of freedom in WHEE – Album Review

In April 2021, she released her first solo mini-album REDD, which debuted at #7 on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart. She has since continued various activities participating in other artists’ albums and drama OSTs.

After the successful release of her first mini-album, REDD, as a solo artist last year, Whee In kicks off 2022 with six new tracks for her listeners. WHEE is meant to embody the mystic, enigmatic, and colorful light of Whee In’s musicality. The musician says, “Thanks to the love and attention of our Moomoos, my colleagues and I were able to wholeheartedly focus on this project. As much as I’ve laid bare my emotions and thoughts in this album, I hope my voice will reach your hearts and many of you will find the songs relatable. Through my upcoming album promotions, I’ll concentrate on showing the various sides of me. I ask for your continued interest and support!”

For this album, Whee In collaborated with several artists and musicians for its creation including RAVI, the head of GROOVL1N and THE L1VE LABEL, who worked on the composition and lyrics of a few of the tracks on WHEE such as the focus track, ‘오묘해 (Make Me Happy)’, ‘Deserve (Interlude)’, and ‘파스텔 (Pastel).’ Whee In contributed to the track, ‘Letter Filled with Light’, which is a continuation of ‘Springtime’ from REDD. ‘Springtime’ references the season Whee In was born in, and this track alludes to the meaning of her name: shining light. Written as though it is aletter, it’s an sincere and affectionate track that encompasses the words Whee In wishes to communicate to her fans.

Let’s take a dive into Whee In’s colourful album WHEE.

MAKE ME HAPPY (오묘해)

As an R&B singer, Whee In shines in the title track, Make Me Happy. The track features a retro-inspired music setup, paired with Whee In’s hushed vocals. The song is a soft romantic number with an addictive hook. The lyrics are quite different from what we usually hear in a love song, for they speak about urging one’s partner to be secretive and mysterious – “Mysteriously and secretly / Can you hide a little more? / I can stand everyday / I like being concerned.” RAVI wrote the lyrics and co-composed for this track.

PINK CLOUD

Pink Cloud features a melody of acoustic guitar and muted instrumentals. The song is like a balm to the tired heart. The fantastic imagery painted by the song is too delicious to miss. Whee In’s charms the listeners once again with her breathy vocals. The chorus lines – “Like a pink cloud / Let me shine/ Will you remember me, even for a moment? / Even my shady heart / Will embrace you warmly” are supported with a slightly upbeat music that heightens the feel-good vibe in the song.

LETTER FILLED WITH LIGHT

Just like the title, the song is also filled with light. Letter Filled with Light sports bright and upbeat music. Whee In adds vibrancy to the lyrics with ad libs and echo-like verses. The lyrics “The more you are trapped in the dark, the more you will shine/All the days spent with you/It's engraved with bright light” are full of hope and bright light, just perfect for the track to be a “healing” track. Whee In wrote the lyrics for this track and RAVI co-composed it.

DESERVE [INTERLUDE]

Lasting just 32 seconds, ‘Deserve’ is a hauntingly beautiful interlude. Whee In’s vocals seem to blend in with the hazy lo-fi jazz music, almost as if she is lost down the rabbit hole. It also paves way for the next two tracks in the album. RAVI wrote and co-composed this track.

PASTEL (파스텔)

Pastel is a shade apart from its predecessors in the album. The atmospheric pre-chorus verses, clubbed with electro-synth beats bring in the pop music. The groovy track features equally addictive lyrics that go – “All colors scattered before my eyes, you are my pastel / Can't take my eyes off you, yeah”. Using the metaphor of colours and pastels, Whee In sings a funky romantic track. RAVI wrote and co-composed this track.

PARAGLIDE

Paraglide is a classic lo-fi track. The track is yet another fantastical offering from Whee In. The track is also a perfect conclusion to WHEE. The jazzy music urges the listener to just sit back and relax, and get lost in a wonderful world. The lyrics – “Without an end fly to another world/ To far away places that no one can reach” – speak about a worry-free time and place, where all one has all the time to prance around and do what the heart wants.

Like children sliding down with a WHEE! from a slide, Whee In’s WHEE is just like that feeling. The songstress sings in soothing yet sultry vocals that instantly charm the listeners. Whee In deliciously surprises with this comeback, as she ventures into the subdued alleys of music. There’s a sense of freedom and worry-free joy in each track. Be it ‘Make Me Happy’ or ‘Pastel’, Whee In brings the best out of the delicate and discreet emotions one harbours. Each track is filled with amazement and fantasy, and will make the listeners go ‘WHEE!’

Watch the music video for Whee In’s ‘Make Me Happy’ here: