South Korean solo artist appetiteapple explores gratitude as a form of personal growth throughout Gratitudes, an album shaped by childhood lessons and their evolution into mature self-expression. Written, arranged, mixed, mastered, and illustrated independently, the release pairs vivid production with an appreciation-centered perspective.
“Dark Before Dawn” quickly showcases the artist’s ability to create stunning soundscapes. Wordless melodic effects and percussive pit-patter complement a swelling vibrancy of instrumentation, feeling triumphant and jubilant in its overall feeling. The subsequent “Hello To Strangers” is another delight, driven by a bouncy bass line, twangy guitar tones, and a glistening presence of piano/keys. A driving guitar lead takes hold past the two-minute turn, melding seamlessly with pulsating piano adornments, while a grandiose injection of synth pads thereafter bolsters the lovely atmosphere. Soaring guitar lines past the five-minute mark also stand out within this exceptional production.
Another highlight, “Beautiful World” is indicative of the album’s themes of appreciation as well, resembling a marveling at the world’s beauty through a mixture of effervescent piano strides and warming guitar distortion. “Soothe” is another memorable piano-driven track, melding with head-nodding rhythms for a stirring sound, while “The World Turns Around” proves the project’s ability to infuse lead performances too, centered around a melodic title-touting refrain that combines blissfully with steady piano, bass, and a spacey textural backing. Full of melodic soundscapes and a moving thematic message about its namesake, Gratitudes is a memorable offering from appetiteapple.
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“Hello To Strangers” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
