The first cut on the CD is Nae Ahnui Nee (You in Me) [Real Audio], a serene ballad. The background music is understated and simplistic, and any emotion in the song is provided by the soloists voice. This is pretty piece with no sharp edges.

I'm Still Loving You [Real Audio] is the title song from the Hong Kong drama I'm Still Loving You. Durian performs this extremely catchy tune in Korean for this release, but the tone and feel of the song is distinctly Chinese. It is a unique composition in that it combines more traditional melodic passages with a pop beat. I've been listening to it non-stop for about eight hours now as it loops through my CD player, and I'm still not tired of it.

The opening of Baraem (Hope) [MP3] presents quite a different direction in music. This is more of a dance song. It sounds pretty straightforward, but as I discovered with further listening, the layering of vocals is actually somewhat complex. Listen to the chorus, and you will hear the female vocalist of the group doing a duet with herself.

Chodae (Invitation) [MP3] returns the listener to the world of the love ballad. After three songs, the male half of the Durian duo finally steps forward. This is a peaceful song, and the vocals are soothing. The composition isn't terribly complex but I like the change of key towards the end.

Neoui Kkoomshonuro (Into Your Dream) (Scat Song) [MP3] makes me laugh every time I hear it. I feel like I'm in a Las Vegas lounge show without the slot machines and free drinks. I think the goal was for a warm jazz feel, but the electric piano going in the background kind of ruins the effect. The instrumental passage with the saxophone is nice, but then it turns back into lounge music.

Durian is mostly about ballads. Godae Ahpui Na (In Front of You) [MP3] is soft but not too tentative. Again, the electric piano dampens some of the feeling out of the song, but the overall effect is not too bad, and again, the key change adds something to the piece.

What would a Korean pop album be without a remix or two? Fortunately, the instrumental of I'm Still Loving You [MP3] preserves the integrity of the original cut. It is slower, and in that sense, fits in more with the larger effect of Durian's album. I like the tiny scale played on the bell (okay, synthesizer made to sound like a bell).

Wemyon (Pretend) [MP3] starts off sounding like something off Muzak's Greatest Hits, but the vocals help it escape that purgatory fairly quickly. This song has something of a soporific effect on me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing if you're looking for something quiet and relaxing.

The introduction to Gidahlimui Kkut (The End of the Waiting) [MP3] tricked me into thinking it was another ballad, but it's actually a romping club song. It isn't overwhelmingly loud and spastic like some dance music, but it still moves forward at a good clip. The change in voice at in the middle adds some character to the song.

Neoui Kkoomshonuro (Into Your Dream) [MP3] revisits the Vegas lounge act scene. I can tell that Durian is trying to piece together a sultry jazz tune, but it just doesn't seem to quite fall together for them.

Finally, we have the Master Remix of I'm Still Loving You (MR) [MP3]. This instrumental is characterized mostly by a computerized drum track. It sounds better on a good stereo where you can mess with the bass/treble settings to deaden the percussion a bit.

Would you like to Comment on this article or send it to a friend? You can do either one just below where you see: