If you listen through HEO‘s different releases, there’s a slow switch between the presentation of the music. Structure was a little darker and somber album. Their single “Sleep Tight” was a bit of a transition. It still used a strong dark tone, but the chorus was different from other songs on Structure. “Mono Sand Hill” is almost like a 180 from previous songs. A big more upbeat and bright, the song has a bit of a Spring color to the tone.
“Mono Sand Hill” is more easily accessible for people who enjoy electronic music. The tempo is already faster than other HEO songs and BoYeong‘s vocals are cleaner, though still processed, in the song. The synth melody covers most of the song, but the groove that’s created gets into your head quickly. HEO is really good at setting up multiple audio layers without masking any important elements and this is still true for “Mono Sand Hill.” It may take a couple of repeats to hear each sample, but you will get a good idea of how complex the single really is.
When HEO sent me the single to hear, I was thinking that it would continue the trend of “Sleep Tight,” but was surprised at this different sound. I think it’s possible that even with a song as complex in arrangement, the duo have found a strong sound that can attract an even bigger audience. Considering the difference between the recorded and live sound, “Mono Sand Hill” sounds the most natural as a live track. It’s easier to grab the audience’s attention because the song starts off so strong.
I continue to enjoy any music that HEO releases. With the singles, it’s almost like they’re showing experimentation and progress forward with their tone and styles. I impatiently wait for a new EP or full length from the band because I’ve seen them live a couple times and know that as they hone their sound, the potential for something even bigger than Structure exists.
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Chris P
Korean Indie owner and Editor at Large. Constantly looking for new music and working on library parity on Spotify and YouTube Music.