TVXQ have been relatively quiet this year, both in Korea and Japan. That’s about to change, as each member is set to release solo Japanese work. Both Changmin and Yunho already have a J-pop mini album under their name – music that can be hard to find but well-worth searching out (Rock With U and Bang in particular!). Now, Changmin has kicked off a new era of solos with the dramatic Human.
Changmin has an incredible voice, but I haven’t connected with a ton of his solo work. I wish producers would give him more rock-influenced material. His tone can be searing and effective in the right context (see the aforementioned Rock With U). A song like Human feels neither here nor there. It’s not quite a ballad (another area Changmin has mastered), yet its slow-burn energy lacks dynamics. The song casts a spell, but it’s a somewhat monotonous one.
The guitar that opens the track gives me hope. Might Human scale great heights as it soars toward a knockout chorus? The delicate pre-chorus seems to promise catharsis, and things heat up when we hit Human’s centerpiece. However, the production holds back. There’s tension in this approach, but the melody is too predictable to act as the release it needs to be. The song could use a contrasting post-chorus – some counterpoint to break up the lockstep structure. As it stands, Human struggles between Changmin’s gutsy performance and an arrangement that constantly stalls. It’s solid, but nowhere near his best.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I like the lyrics here, but I will admit this does not work the way I want musically. A bit disappointed though, I thought they were also going to release a full mini-album in Japan in January. Still hope they do so!
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I don’t think its a bad song or bad performance. Its meets contemporary expectations for songcraft.
What it is missing for me is the high polish that SM usually does, things like “soaring strings” and “layered vocals” and “instrumental intensity” and “stacked chords” with a “generous synth wash”. The spartan under-production is especially evident in the chorus. You really only know its the chorus because Changmin himself is singing at full volume. Changmin modulating his vocals from soft in the verses to loud in the chorus is the main component that makes the song function as is.
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Just have to say this MV is one of the best I’ve seen this year.
As for the song, it’s good enough for my ears. I actually thought the song showcased his vocals rather well.
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This is how you elevate a song that’s just better than average into something pretty strong. I knew he could sing, but here he SINGS.
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I don’t like it as much as Chocolate, but I could probably listen to him singing a grocery receipt.
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