Love (Jay B EP) explained

Love.
Type:ep
Artist:Def.
Cover:Love Def.png
Caption:Digital cover
Genre:R&B
Length:19:03
Language:Korean
Label:528Hz
Producer:Def.
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Be Yourself
Next Year:2022

Love. is the second extended play by South Korean singer Jay B, released on January 26, 2022 under the pseudonym Def..[1]

Background and release

Jay B announced the release of his first EP under the pseudonym Def. on December 31, 2021, by posting the title of the album through an Instagram story.[2] Love. went on sale for the pre-order period only, from January 5 to January 12,[3] and was released on January 26 under Warner Music Korea together with a music video for the title track "Sunset With You".

The record is about love and the emotions it brings along;[4] [5] it's opened by "Again", an intimate and sensual R&B collaboration that sees rapper Leon rapping in two languages. "Why?" combines synth and bass beats with an electro-acoustic guitar riff, while the third track, "I Just Wanna Know", gives jazz and R&B vibes, with the cello and bass in the background. "Like a Fool" is the singer's third collaboration with producer and soloist Junny. In "Want U", he alternates a high tempo in the chorus and a lower mid-range tempo in the bridge. Love. ends with "Sunset With You", a lo-fi song with a dreamy atmosphere and soft percussion in the background, which tells the story of a couple happy with their relationship.

Critical reception

Nandini Iyengar from Bollywood Hungama commented "The album, from start to end, is a treat for those who like indie and alternate beats, interspersed with R&B." Bandwagon listed it among the best albums and EPs of the first half of 2022, stating: "Lyrically, it feels like an honest diary about love and what it's like navigating that complicated emotion, like someone actually going through all its ups and downs in real time. While sonically, it's just a world of lo-fi and R&B that you just want to swim in."[6]

It was featured at #13 on the list of the best Korean hip hop and R&B albums of 2022 according to Rolling Stone India, which felt that, in Love., "Def. tastefully explores the magic of romance with the right amount of sensuality", taking control of listeners' senses through vocal orchestration, and observing that the listening experience was elevated by the fluid progress of the tracks.[7]

Commercial performance

Love. sold just over copies on the day of release for both the Hanteo Chart,[8] and the Gaon Chart,[9] and around in the first week according to Hanteo.[10] It has overall sold copies in January for the Gaon Chart, ranking 18th.[11]

It debuted in third place on the Gaon Album Chart in the week January 23–29, 2022, while "Sunset With You" entered the Gaon Digital Chart at 152[12] and was third on the Gaon Download Chart.[13]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[14] 3

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dongre . Divyansha . 2022-01-26 . JAY B Revisits His Alternative Roots as DEF. on 'Love' . 2022-04-01 . Rolling Stone India . en-US.
  2. Web site: 2021-12-31 . JAY B announces new Def. EP, 'Love.' . 2022-04-01 . Bandwagon . en.
  3. Web site: Anoc . Aimee . January 6, 2022 . GOT7's Jay B to release new album 'Love' as Def . 2022-04-01 . GMA Network . en.
  4. Web site: Iyengar . Nandini . 2022-01-28 . JAY B revisits his alternative roots celebrating 'LOVE' in smooth sailing first EP as Def. – Album Review . 2022-04-01 . Bollywood Hungama . en.
  5. Web site: N. . Nicole . January 28, 2022 . Through the Lens of Def. . 2022-04-01 . The Kraze . en-US.
  6. Web site: Bodegon-Hikino . Kara . 2022-06-20 . Top Albums/EPs of 2022 (so far) – BTS, Hikaru Utada, (G)I-DLE, DeVita, SixTONES, EPIK HIGH, and more . 2022-06-26 . Bandwagon . en.
  7. Web site: Chakraborty . Riddhi . Dongre . Divyansha . 2022-12-18 . The 15 Best Korean Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of 2022 . 2022-12-18 . Rolling Stone India . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2022-01-27 . [일간랭킹: 1월 26일] 데프(DEF.)의 'LOVE' 1위 ]. 2022-04-01 . ko.
  9. Web site: Gaon Retail Album Chart – January 26, 2022 . 2022-04-01 . ko.
  10. Web site: 2022-02-04 . [Initial Chodong Record] Def. "LOVE." Sold 41,000 Copies in the First Week… Entering the 'TOP 3' of Hanteo Chart's Weekly Physical Album Chart (Hanteo Chart Official) ]. 2022-04-01 . en.
  11. Web site: Gaon Album Chart – January 2022 . 2022-04-01 . ko.
  12. Web site: Gaon Digital Chart – Week 5, 2022 . 2022-04-01 . ko.
  13. Web site: Gaon Download Chart – Week 5, 2022 . 2022-04-01 . ko.
  14. Web site: Gaon Album Chart – Week 5, 2022 . April 1, 2022 . . ko.