November 30th, 2021, marks the second solo release by Kai of Korean pop group EXO. The mini album, titled Peaches, consists of six tracks. Peaches combines thoughtful vocal performance and fresh instrumentals and production into 18 minutes of RnB and dance pop perfection. December 10th marks the physical release of Kai’s new mini album, with two photobook versions (shown below) and a standard CD.

Track by track, I took notes as I gave it my first listen. 

The title track felt better on my ears the more I listened.  The production is so addicting; it’s nothing I haven’t heard before, but so good in the way it’s familiar. The vocals really stand out to me during the bridge. I have a soft spot for a good bridge and this sure hit it. I really like the English lyrics in “Peaches” too. They sound very intentional and fit very well. 

The second track “Vanilla” feels like a lullaby; his voice feels so smooth here and the production is simple and soothing. Not my typical kinda song, but I knew I’d keep coming back to it. And I did, as it’s one of my favorites on the album now. 

I appreciate how “Domino” picked the speed up, but I don’t see myself listening to it too often, as the hook isn’t my favorite. I really love the verses though: in relation to the heavy chorus, the vocally focused verses pair really well. Since my first listen, this song has definitely grown on me. I now appreciate the experimentation of this track, especially in the vocal performance.

The beginning of the next track, “Come in,” scratches an itch in my brain. The production is so stimulating and fresh. This is definitely a song that is meant to be listened to with headphones. The melody and vocals are beautiful and pair harmoniously with the warpy synth.

Listening to “To Be Honest,” I first noticed the guitar loop and clap track. It feels a little dated but I really like the melody and pacing. But as I listened, it grew and grew on me, especially once it got to the bridge. A specific little vocal part I love is when he sings “to be honeeeeest” at the end of the chorus. It sounds so clean and that tone on the eh sound is perfect.

30 seconds into “Blue” and I could already tell it was gonna be one of my favorites. The melody,  pacing and bass line had me hooked from the start. As much as I love the vocal performance and lyrics here, the instrumental really stands out. The piano, guitar tab, and bass line compliment each other and make it such a good listen.

All in all, Peaches is K-RnB peach fuzz to my ears: sweet, tart, simple, and groovy. This album feels so cohesive, and it really feels like Kai’s music. Initially, his voice didn’t stand out to me, but in this album, he sounds so comfortable. I can’t wait to hear more from Kai as he grows. 

Peaches is out now and available to stream on all major music platforms.