Going from producer to solo artist goes in two directions. An artist pulls from past experiences and collaborations to create a hybrid style. Or they explore an entirely different world that’s been sitting in the back of their head. In dusom‘s case, it feels and sounds like she decided to explore a separate world. And this includes her previous singles.
Lucky Courier is tagged as an R&B and indie pop album. I think it leans more into indie pop, funk, and pop than R&B. I can hear R&B elements, but there’s a lightness to the entire album. The quick album introduction with “Transmission” makes Lucky Courier sound more like electronic pop before transitioning into “Synchronicity.” And this song feels more like a funk pop song with an R&B vocal delivery.
One of dusom’s strengths is that she’s able to flow over verses with a constantly changing rhythm. Instead of following the main beat, she’s breaking up the time signature and moving from eighth notes to sixteenth and even triplets. It’s not something you hear that often.
“Sunday” is basically commercial pop. It’s so comfortable and comes across like a song that IU could perform and sounds perfectly natural. The other single is “See U Again.” I like this for the same reason I like “Synchronicity.” dusom manipulates the beats to keep the song moving and interesting. It’s a tactic that other artists should think about using more.
And I can’t forget to talk about the instrumentation. dusom creates really great compositions where each layer works together to push the melody forward. And you could remove the vocals and the instrumentals could still carry the song. Songs like “Goopy” have a rhythmic attitude that drags you in and it sticks in your head.
I will say that I wish there was a little more variety though. The first five songs all have a similar style and energy. They’re totally fine but I want a different emotion coming forward. “To You” is the first large difference to me. Instead of staying in this “higher pop” area, it has more warmth and smoothness.
It’s like Lucky Courier is ordered to have the pop melodies at the start and then slowly work down into warmer tones. It works with the first listen, but if I come back to the album, I’d likely start with “Goopy” and work to the end of the album more. There is a natural narrative from start to finish, but it’s a little too determined and I’d want to hear a conversation of back and forth.
dusom’s Lucky Courier is a 2025 highlight. It’s a total package and an introduction to a solo singer-songwriter. The technical talents are definitely obvious and the songwriter skills are definitely among the top.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.
