By now it’s obvious that I’m a sucker for any and all thing R&B and Soul. This, of course, includes all subgenres. One that I’ve not had the pleasure of hearing a lot of from South Korea is neo-soul. Sure, some of the top and more adventurous idols delve into what are considered fringe musical niches. However, there are very few artists who sincerely take on the genre and adapt it as their own.
Lo and behold I discover Nuz. Incidentally, it wasn’t my go-to for all things Korean R&B that introduced me to this man. Nucksal actually posted a clip of music video “Heaven’s Door,” on which he made a very distinctive appearance. I honestly wasn’t even searching for artists who had the guts and musical prowess to navigate the intricacies of neo-soul—which in and of itself is a bold genre, melding the fundamentals of jazz, soul, and R&B with more alternative genres such as House and smatterings of punk (for those who truly want to twist that “neo” into the soul).
Nuz seems to come from a school of artists who have studied the purity of more traditional genres like R&B, then have the dexterity to leap into the genetic pool and swim in the experimentation and rebellion of their progeny. His voice is light, a bit of a whisper grounded in a resonant baritone.
Most of his work is collaborative, including cameos from ovcoco, SOMA, and my beloved Nucksal. However, last year he blessed those who have been following his slow push for public recognition with his first EP, Natural Blue. In September 2017, he released his sophomore effort ROOM. The mysticism and sensuality in his voice wrapped around the erotic waviness of the composition blew a hole in my chest, had me feeling all the tingly things that make you want to seek somebody out. He’s truly a marvel of an artist, understated, yet his vocal and lyrical presence is very demonstrative. One can’t help but react to it.
Please check him out and give him more love and support so we can get more work from him in the future!
You can find out more about Nuz on:
Rock 'N Seoul 