For the long-awaited release of Mark’s first solo album, he’s promoting with a title track named after his birth year. Birthdays aside, 1999 was an awesome year for music. Everyone was in party mode due to the impending turn of the millennium. Pop music was diverse and dominant, with MTV and TRL serving as hubs for youth culture. Whether Mark’s 1999 is seeking to draw upon that energy or not, its playful sound belies expectations.
The song sees Mark switch from rap verses to a gentle croon for the catchy, melodic chorus. This works quite well during 1999‘s first half but gets a bit muddled as we move on. There’s a lot happening within this track as the music attempts to distill its many influences. In this way, the song is quite “1999” in spirit. Mark does a nice job skirting between these various performance styles. I actually prefer him as a singer on this track, as the rapped moments often feel more gimmicky.
Spikes of operatic vocals pepper 1999 for no other reason than to be zany. I appreciate the unexpected injection of texture, but I wish these moments were in service to a better set of melodies. 1999‘s hook is a breezy sing-song that echoes elements of late-90’s alt-pop. But rather than forge an exciting centerpiece, this chorus retreats into a restrained — almost anti-drop — structure that neuters 1999‘s cartoonish energy. I much prefer the song’s rousing finale, when all these various elements fuse together to send the track off on a high.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
This album is on repeat for me.
LikeLike
The song has potential, but the funk is set at an 8 rather than 10. The arrangement also ends up being a little muddled or messy as it tries to do everything at once. The hooks are airy, and forgettable. The outro, like you said, is pretty solid. With a stronger arrangement, it could easily become this month’s highlight, but ends up limiting the song.
Rating’s the same.
LikeLike
personally, I find the falsetto crooning really annoying
LikeLike
This is the kind of song you get when a soloist doesn’t have their own musical vision. It is at once like this other act, and that other one, and this that and the other one, and none of them particularly Mark.
LikeLike
The gentle crooning are the best parts of the song lol. There’s a decent amount of funk to prevent bore but I’m afraid this isn’t memorable. Much stronger tracks on the album(Fraktsiya still slaps). I’ll give credit for Mark making this track lyrically distinct to himself.
LikeLike
I’m having a very different reaction to this lol, I like it a lot….8.5 for me, mainly because it’s been a while since I’ve heard anything like this at all….
Though there are nitpicks I have with this (the main melody on the chorus is nice, but is repeated a bit too many times without much variation, and the anti drop ARRGGHH) but those strings very easily make up for it. It sounds grand in like an almost musical-theater way, and it hits all the right keys in my brain.
I’ve actually ended up liking every single one of his many singles so far….so I’m actually excited for the album!
LikeLike
sometimes I wonder if I’m listening to the same song😂. First Mark solo I like. Song is wonderful, fun, catchy, and whole. The chorus is stuck in my mind since first listen. The verses are very “Mark”. The guy can perform so the dance break is fun to watch, and that outro satisfy the hell out of me. In a world of 3 minute songs, he delivered a full song and I appreciate that. 8.5/10
LikeLike
Probably my favourite single from Mark so far, but still not really something I’d listen to. I’m mainly enamoured with the heavy Canadian glazing in the MV lol
LikeLike