Lowlife Princess: Noir - Love and Vengeance in a Dystopian future

When to Listen: When you want some R&B influenced K-Pop
Accessibility: Accessible
TLDR: A tale of Love vengeance and being queen bitch in the year 2024

Lowlife Princess: Noir is an album that tells a story of Oh Geum-ji - a woman who lost her parents as a child, seeks love despite being a "bad bitch" who will cut you as she rises to be the queen of a dark Neo-future of Seoul.

Oh yeah did I mention? its a K-Pop album.

When people think of K-Pop they often think of the splash and popiness of BTS, Blackpink, EXO and many many others. This is not that - This is a soulful album that takes cues form POP, R&B and Soul all working together to weave a tale of love , despair and power. Every song on the album is good in its own unique way.

In the first three songs of the album we learn the main character Oh Geum-ji is no-one to be messed with. In Animal Farm we learn just why; she is surrounded by people way worse than her. She had no choice but to fight to survive. In a world where looks and cruelty reign king, the only option is to be the "baddest bitch" alive. However where outward she may project absolute and savage dominance, we learn later in the album ( Sweet Sorrow, Witch Hunt and City Love) that behind it all is someone who is lonely, self hating and miserable. This is the real beauty in Bibi's story telling - she is able to balance and craft a multi-dimensional and believable character, both though the words she sings, and how she sings them. The mid point of the album (MotoSpeed 24, Sweet Sorrow of Mother, Loverholics Hangover) - all speak to the main characters failure at love and romance. Finally in the closing act of the album we see Oh Geum-ji thrust back into loneliness and the rat race of the city. The album closes with the line "진짜인지, 가짜인지 상관없어 이곳에서 날 구해줘" (I don't care if its real or fake, save me from here) Just how the album started, we end - with anger and desperation.

Bibi's range is incredible. From loud shrieks in Vengeance, to reserved ballad of Loverholics Hangover to highly processed vocals in Motorspeed way to almost whispered singing in "JOTTO" - she is cable of communicating a wide range of emotions and feelings. Second to her strong vocal performance is an amazing production value and composition. The range of music is fairly diverse on this album taking inspiration from Love Ballads, Japanese Pop, Latin beats and EDM. Some notable moments are the breakdown on "Blade" , the erratic piano solo on "JOTTO", the haunting ballad of Loverholic's hangover and finally the arpeggiated vocals on MotorSpeed 24.

In the end - Lowlife Princes: Noir is a refinement on what BiBi started with the EP - Life is a Bi... (a tale about an abusive relationship - which also is quiet good). The fact this is a full album gives her the space and time to tell a compelling story with range and never feels rushed.