It’s Tuesday, a.k.a. Honorary Hump Day. Let’s perk ourselves up a little bit.
I’ve covered Epik High before, but I’d yet to delve into their modern discography (“modern”, in this case, defined as the moment when they signed their contract with YG Entertainment, completing their transformation from an indie band to joining Korea’s mainstream). Their 99 album is filled with songs that represent a compromise between Epik High’s previous works and YG’s house style; listen to It’s Cold, feat. Lee Hi, for another great example of this from the same album.
Former 2NE1 member Park Bom’s voice is a wonderful fit for this track; Up exists as an ode to moving forward and striving to fulfil your ambitions, and Bom’s fragile-yet-powerful voice complements the lyrics, and the song’s general sense of optimism, perfectly.
No matter who blocks your path, you must go on, the lyrics say. Up up, baby get up, up, we’re goin’ up.
As a person in his mid-twenties (with the big three-zero seemingly days away), I find myself wondering more and more—what’s ahead? It’s at times like these when I put on an aspirational track like this one, and relax in the knowledge that whatever happens, I’ve got this. I can only hope.