Known for his critically acclaimed work as
an experimental hip-hop producer and a drummer for iconic Filipino bands Kjwan
and Kapatid, Hong Kong-based beatsmith and rapper J-Hoon stages a
comeback with the release of his sophomore album, Noodles II.
In his 14-track release, J-Hoon documents a
decade of witnessing social instability, chaos, and fear in his hometown, Hong
Kong—a city that has struggled to retain its degree of independence up until
now. The eclectic, hip-hop-driven album also sees the multi-hyphenate share his
personal observations on life and culture in general with no filter, as he goes
back and forth between Hong Kong and several places/cities miles away from his home.
“Lyrically, it’s a collection of stories,
commentaries, and musings about my experiences living in Hong Kong,” said
J-Hoon. “You could say that it’s my love letter to the bustling city, a poetic
unravelling of its beautiful and ugly side amidst the crumbling terror of
political conflict. It’s also diarist in tone and very much contemplative; I
didn’t know that I would be this brave to open up about my encounters in life,
where stories and emotions sometimes get the best of me. Writing, for the most
part, is cleansing and healing, and I really had a great time doing this exercise
in my convenient time.”
Noodles II
shows J-Hoon’s more collected take on hip-hop, boom bap, jazz, trap, neo-soul,
IDM, and electronic music. There’s a looser feel to his musicality, and the
songs are palpably more unhinged as compared to his debut offering. But what
makes Noodles II a compelling record is its knack for intimacy and
free-spirited energy, exploring music across genres, eras, and places with a
more playful direction.
“This time around, I moved on to Ableton
and MPD from AKAI,” shares the multi-cultural hip-hop head. “The approach is
very much different from my debut as I’m more inclined to embrace less complex
structures, and more of that classic hip-hop format. Also, I am playing real
keys in some songs in this album, so that’s new. The overall vibe is
reminiscent of the kind of analog and lo-fi hip-hop that I grew up with. But
instead of making something more polished, I’ve tried to retain that raw,
carefree attitude in this album.”
Noodles II
follows the format of Noodles I, J-Hoon’s debut album released more than
a decade ago. His sophomore outing features collaborations with several Asian
producers, including Manila’s very own Chi Capulong and Justin De Guzman (JDG),
Guangzhou’s Pete Chen, and Seoul’s Noden and Chillingcat. J-Hoon also
collaborated with rappers and MCs from different parts of the region, like
Guangzhou’s Rebelman, Kuala Lumpur’s Noyz134 and Hour Tan, Tokyo’s So Wada,
Hong Kong’s Mattforce, YoungQueenz, and MouseFx from SensiLion.
As J-Hoon describes the collaborative
nature of Noodles II, “in a way, all these experiences and characters
constitute a bowl of Noodles where you have the broth and noodles, but it also
has various ingredients, cultures, and sauces coming together to bring in a new
but familiar flavor.”
Last month, J-Hoon released the soulful jam
“Lei Ho Leng,” where he raps about chasing perfection at the expense of
tarnishing the light in one’s heart or what is known as “real” beauty. Over
soulful keys and dusty, vintage grooves, the Hong Kong-based rapper-producer
delivers a bop of sumptuous subtlety and class. Other highlights in the album
include “Paradise,” a song written during a tumultuous period in his life
living in a troubled city while moving places; the Yehaiyahan-featured track
“Reality,” which serves as a reflection of our realities across different
places and continents; and the jazzy “Modern Li Bai,” which is a homage to the
legendary poet of the same name.
“Noodles II” track list
1. Lei Ho Leng 妳好靓 feat. Rebelman
2. War feat Noyz 134/ Hour Tan
3. Modern Li Bai (remix) feat MattForce & YoungQueenz
4. Reality feat Yeheiyahan
5. Genie
6. Do the right thing
7. Education feat MouseFx Sensil
8. Paradise
9. Flower
10. First Day
11. Take It Back feat So Wada
12. Lifeline feat Pete Chen
Bonus:
13. Reality ( Sogoloo 松果龍 remix）
14. Reality (Delf remix)
J-Hoon’s Noodles II will be out on August
9, 2023 on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
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