![]() As love-filled summer fades and fall comes, Simon D admits to being left “smiling, without darling,” in the winter, over a soothing, serene piano instrumental. Simon D slows things down with “Winterlude ’17,” a half rapped, half sung letter of sorts that chronicles his relationship with his ex-lover. The rest of the album follows Jung Kiseok as he confesses to all the agony, anxiety, and angst plaguing him. Simon D tells Jung Kiseok that he is “a dead body,” in “06076,” while Jung Kiseok playfully asks Simon D how he is doing and that he, Jung Kiseok, is becoming “bluesy” inside him. Simon D invites the listener to his darkroom in “Roommates Only,” while Jung Kiseok cautions them if they really want to be his roommates. This switch is intentional as the former represents the artist Simon Dominic while the latter represents the person Jung Kiseok (Simon D’s real name). In the first two songs of the album, Simon D switches between a low, nasally voice that he usually reserves for rapping and a thick, booming voice that echoes his speaking voice. The exact words he uses are “see the river view, ige dailppun.” The latter phrase is homophonous with “darkroom” and insinuates that even his own house is an uncomfortable place for him rather than a refuge. “Roommates only” transitions to “06076,” Simon D’s current zip code and tells the story of the house he is currently living in. The previous owner of the house bought two buildings before Simon D moved in, yet all he has, Simon D rues in the chorus, is a view of the Hangang river. I’m lonely cuz I’m human, too, and I ask you I just have hidden myself for a long time He invites listeners to his workplace and sanctuary, “Darkroom,” to listen to his story, but choruses throughout the song asking if they really want to be his roommate: Simon D introduces Darkroom with “Roommates Only,” a slow piano-tinged song which features a minute-long interlude before he begins rapping, or rather, weaving a story for the listener. ![]() Each song in Darkroom is a conversation, simultaneously between Simon D and himself, and Simon D and his roommate or listener, because as Simon D notes in the “Roommates Only,” only his “roommates want to listen to this boring story”-nobody else cares. In this Darkroom, Simon Dominic combines spare beats with underlying melodies that feature flute (“06076”), piano (“Winterlude ’17,” “Jung Jinchul”), electric guitar (“Bathtub”), trumpet (“Winterlude ’17”), and saxophone (“Demolition Man”) to tell stories about shame, sleeplessness, and self-loathing. Thus, this album can be interpreted as stories that are a product from Simon D’s studio as well as his depression, both seemingly available to his “Roommates Only.” The name “Darkroom” works on multiple levels, as it is simultaneously the name of Simon D’s workroom, as well as a metaphor for depression. Simon D puts all these rumours and assumptions to rest in Darkroom by explaining the simple yet sad reason behind his absence: depression. Neither AOMG nor its members made any announcements or answered any questions, which led fans to assume that perhaps Simon Dominic was busy managing AOMG, given Jay Park’s busy schedule. He followed their release by re-releasing his album on July 29 with two new singles in addition to the original 8.įor fans and non-fans alike, Simon D’s long, unexplained hiatus inspired disconcertedness, dismay, and demanding comments on his label-mates’ social media. Simon D revealed the live renditions of “Demolition Man” with Kim Jong-seo, and “Me No Jay Park” on July 24th and 25th respectively. Simon D announced the album a mere 6 hours prior to release on his Instagram and didn’t release any music videos alongside his album-save for a “Making Of” video of the album’s title song “Demolition Man”-until July 24th. ![]() ![]() Simon Dominic’s Darkroom is the fruition of a year of Instagram hiatus, 2 years of sporadic activities, and 3 years of no original music Simon Dominic’s last single was “₩ and Only” featuring Jay Park in 2015. On June 15 earlier this year, Simon Dominic (also known as Simon D) released Darkroom: Roommates Only, his first full album since joining AOMG as co-CEO in 2014. Simon Dominic Works through his Depression in "Darkroom: Roommates Only" ![]()
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