Yang Pa is known primarily for her ballads, and her fans are pleased to discover that slow, romantic sounds comprise most of her new album, Yang Pa 3. If you follow Yang Pa, you will know that her Spanish-influenced A'ddio is making an emphatic appearance on the charts. The breathy tones of A'ddio exemplify the sound that her fans love and as the song moves into the chorus, you can really hear how Yang Pa's voice is strengthening and maturing. Track one off the album, Geunyuhahneh Nah, follows this same structure. It begins with a synthesizer, segues into a soft ballad, and gets stronger through the chorus. The second track, Oneul Man, is also a quiet ballad as is track four, Yaeipul Pi [MP3]. Fans seem to be more taken with her slow songs, but I enjoy hearing Yang Pa explore new territory. Yoshulgochu has a new country beat underneath it, giving her a different, if thinner, sound. Track eight highlights Yang Pa's blues singing. Meomut Meomut has a clubby, jazz feel cultivated by the trumpet in the background. Napeunhyeultong is also quite lively and I admit it is kind of a relief to know she can scream as well as croon. This song has a good rap riff in the middle section. Yang Pa uses an ensemble to flesh out Missing You, which is also one of the quicker songs on the album. Longtime fans, don't be worried by these few dance tunes1x Ballads and breathy blues singing comprise the bulk of Yang Pa 3.

You might want to compare her new album with her old ones. Algoshipuhyo1x is a truly sweet-sounding song off her second album. Dashi Uli [MP3], which she sings in English, demonstrates her R&B sound. Stay With Me is another song with English lyrics. Her voice is a little sharp in this one, but that is perhaps in keeping with the painful, romantic lyric of the piece. I like Sweet 19 Funky (Blue Birthday) just for its weird, weird intro. There's a slight rap/scratch sound underneath the lyrics, and it has a better beat than other songs on the album.

Bijou is also finding success with its new album. Choi Da Bi and Jou Min combine to form this group. Many people thought they would be one-hit wonders (their Love Love [MP3] saw a lot of airtime), but the new album is doing just fine. Right now, Nuguboda Nul Saranghae (I Love You More Than Anyone Else) [MP3] can be heard everywhere. This is a fantastic song, particularly the chorus, which shows off how well these two singers work together. With all my heart is a disco song in which Ju Min does a good deal of rapping. Like Funky tonight, it is performed in English. Funky Tonight, like the title implies, is truly disco. In Gehnchanah [MP3], Da Bi sings the ballad lead whilst Min raps underneath. If you'd like to compare Bijou 3 to their earlier work, listen to Eejaen Ahluhyo [RealAudio], a slow, light song, or to Nigaeetnun Saesangaesuh. You can also listen to Once Again [RealAudio] (don't miss the fun with the opening notes).

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