Take (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by South Korean rapper Mino. It was released on October 30, 2020, through YG Entertainment. Written and composed entirely by Mino, the album consists of twelve tracks including the lead single, "Run Away", for which a music video was released alongside the album. Musically, it is a hip hop record that contains influences of ballad, dance-pop, folk, moombahton, R&B, rap and soul.
Background and promotion
On August 13, 2020, YG Entertainment announced that Mino was in the finishing process of the album and set the release date for October.[1] The first teaser poster was released on October 15, 2020, revealing the album's title and release date.[2] On October 19, a 30-second teaser video was uploaded.[3] On October 20, a "title poster" was uploaded, unveiling the title and credits of the lead single, "Run Away".[4] On October 21, a teaser clip hinting the album concept was revealed.[5] On October 22, the track list for the album was uploaded. Mino was credited as the writer and composer for all tracks listed on the album, and many well-known artists such as Bewhy, Bobby and Zion.T participated on the album as featuring artists.[6] On October 26, an interview clip, containing how the producers and artists who have participated on the album saw Mino from their own perspectives, was revealed.[7] Two music video teasers for "Run Away" were uploaded on October 27 and October 28.[8][9] On October 30, the tracks listed on the album were played partially in the album sampler video.[10]
Musically, "OK Man" is a "hip hop song with a fun mix of unique Fx sounds over heavy bass and drum sounds". "Wa" is a hip hop song where "repeated arpeggio piano melody and spatial guitar riffs are used to create a dreamy feeling". "Click / Han River View" shows off the "conversion of two contrasting tracks".
Lyrically, "Love and a Boy" is a song that expresses "a boy who has grown small in the great emotion of love". "Daylight" is a song that expresses "a lover who falls in love after a warm summer and before the cool autumn comes". "Pow!" expresses "the moment when the inspiration in Mino's head explodes with witty lyrics and rapping". "Book Store" started from the idea of "'reading' the other person's expression and heart, and wanting to 'read' the other person's mind too". The song features "storytelling that compares the anguish of a wounded man to a book".[12]
"I wanted to compose my album so that it remains on people’s hearts for a long time, like a movie with 12 impressive takes (scenes). That’s why I named the album Take
Vocal's Nathan Sartain thought the album "breaks free of any typical pop formulae" and is "stylistically idiosyncratic, yet as easily accessible as the glossiest chart-dominating pop banger".[13]The K Meal writer Kathleen Herrera described it as "a solid album that truly explored Mino's talent as a musician, lyricist and composer".[14]
Commercial performance
On October 31, 2020, "Run Away" ranked at no. 1 on Naver Music and Vibe, and no. 2 on Bugs and Genie.[11] As of November 11, Take has surpassed a total of 110,000 in sales.[15]
^위너 강승윤·송민호, 올 하반기 솔로 컴백…YG “현재 작업중” [Winner Kang Seung-yoon and Song Min-ho, solo comeback in the second half of this year...YG “Currently working”]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). August 13, 2020. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^Baek, Ji-eun (August 15, 2020). 위너 송민호, 2년여만 솔로컴백…30일 정규앨범 'Take' 발매 [Winner Song Min-ho, solo comeback after 2 years...Full album released the 30th]. The Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
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