Ha Sungwoon has released quite a lot of solo material, but his new material will see him operating under a new label. He’s recently signed with BPM Entertainment – home to VIVIZ as well. Sungwoon’s You is billed as a “special album,” which usually means no big promotional rollout. And, this style of song doesn’t really suit the weekly music show circuit.

Can’t Live Without You falls within the chill, coffeehouse style. This sound is remarkably popular in Korea, and my reviews only scratch the surface when it comes to highlighting just how many tracks like this are released each month. I’ve admired Sungwoon’s career so far. I wasn’t very impressed with his solo debut, but enjoyed pretty much every track that followed. He’s a natural showman and really fits a funky, retro vibe. Unfortunately, Can’t Live Without You isn’t any of these things. Pretty as its charms are, their subdued nature is likely to pass me by.

Sungwoon gives a reliably strong performance. His airy tone has a bit of huskiness to it during portions of this track. He tugs as much drama as he can from the simple melody, while a gentle drumbeat and acoustic guitar form a pleasant backdrop. But, there’s only so much you can do with this style. It makes for lovely café music, setting the mood without distracting from conversation. It’s easy to admire but hard to truly fall for.