[RealAudio], one of the up-tempo tunes on Promise. It's sat in the top ten for some time, probably because Park Ki Young has one of the stronger solo voices. If this song doesn't convince you of that, listen to track one, Urisai (Between Us). The beginning of Nurisai is evocative of a radio being played at low volume. It then breaks into a full-throated pop song with a new country beat. The artist's voice resonates over top of the synthesizers and becomes more and more powerful as the song continues.
Majimak Sarang (Last Love) is a sensuous ballad, so quiet at first you'll need to turn up the volume. Park Ki Young's full voice comes out again as the song matures. A second R&B ballad, Track 4 (To You), follows on the album. Track 4 has a dramatic, jazzy beat, perfect for the smoky nightclub. Track 5 (Gate of the Desert) is the third ballad on Promise. The substance of this song is found in the chorus, as the beat and overall sound of the piece resembles the first ballad on the album. The wail of the chorus is quite haunting and is well-supported by the guitar track, however. With Me, written by Yoon Jong Shin, consists almost entirely of Park Ki Young's vocal line. The accompaniment, provided mostly by piano and violins, is very understated, leaving the singer to carry the song by herself. Short guitar passages mark the transitions between chorus and verse.
Yanson (Promise), the title cut, offers a slightly quicker beat. There is nothing to complain about in this song, but I can see why it wasn't the first single released. It's pleasant, but not particularly memorable. Track 8 (Third Love) 8 strikes me much the same way. It's a nice song, and it clearly demonstrates the depth of Park Ki Young's vocal ability, but it probably won't hit number one.
I love the percussion at the very beginning of Millenium and wish the drum-line sound would have been carried through the entire song. There is a melodic passage in this track that directly echoes Beginning.
The album closes with Naega Saengakhaetdun Saesangun (The World of My Thought). The rock guitar adds color throughout the song. The percussion follows a standard set that doesn't do much to drive the song forward, but the guitar takes care of the momentum, anyway.
