T.O.P has made a long-awaited return with his first full-length album, released Friday. It marks his first solo release in 13 years since “Doom Dada.”
The rapper released “Another Dimension” along with the music video for one of its two main tracks, “Desperado.”
“Desperado” delivers a candid and direct portrayal of love, with a minimalist music video that focuses on the track’s intense mood and T.O.P’s nuanced emotional expression.
“For almost 10 years, I focused solely on making music,” T.O.P said in a recent interview with a Hong Kong media outlet. “I poured everything into the creative process, and it was an incredibly constructive and productive period.”
“This time, I adopted a more narrative-driven approach and experimented with complex sound structures I hadn’t tried before. I hope listeners will experience a wide range of emotions,” he added.
The new album features a total of 11 tracks, including the other main song “Studio54,” a house-based track infused with 1980s hip-hop sensibilities.
Other songs — including the opening track “Self Crucifixion,” “The Giant,” “OVAYA (A Small, Filthy Show Window),” “Zero-Coke,” “Another Dimension Holy Dude,” “Seoul Chaos,” “For Fans,” “After the Play Ends” and the closing track “Be Solid” — are set up to form a cohesive narrative that reflects the artist’s distinct musical world.
T.O.P oversaw the entire production of the album. Grammy-winning engineer IRKO handled sound design and mixing across all tracks, while Dolby Atmos mixing was applied to deliver an immersive audio experience. IRKO is known for collaborating with global pop artists such as Kanye West and The Weeknd.
The album also features contributions from renowned American artist Ed Ruscha and art director Chae Kyung-sun of the Squid Game series, who oversaw visual design and music video art direction.
Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong — known for his work on “Decision to Leave,” “The Fortress” and “Squid Game 2” — directed the music videos for the album’s main tracks.
The release comes just over a week before Big Bang’s scheduled performances at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 12 and 19, which will commemorate the group’s 20th anniversary.
Members G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung are set to reunite for the performance, marking the group’s long-awaited return to the festival after missing its 2020 appearance due to COVID-19.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
