Swan Songs (Epik High album)

Swan Songs is the third studio-album by South Korean hip-hop trio Epik High, released on October 4, 2005. Featuring a variety and mix of hip hop, electronica, rock, and jazz, the album has been praised by music critics and the Korean mainstream public upon its debut. "Fly" and "Paris" were the lead hit singles spawned from the album, with "Fly" featured in the soundtrack of the 2006 video game FIFA 07. Due to the numerous offers to remake "Fly" as well as "Paris", a CD sampler was released in Japan in 2007.[1]

Swan Songs
Studio album by
Epik High
ReleasedOctober 4, 2005
Genre
Length58:04
LanguageKorean
Label
ProducerEpik High
Epik High chronology
High Society
(2004)		 Swan Songs
(2005)		 Black Swan Songs
(2006)
Singles from Remapping the Human Soul
  1. "Fly"
    Released: October 4, 2005
  2. "Paris"
    Released: October 4, 2005

Background

After the Epik High's second album High Society (2004) and their appearances on Tablo's sitcom Nonstop 5 and various entertainment programs, Epik High released Swan Songs on October 4, 2005. The record's concept consists of the theme of "Observation of Fall, Death, and Love", with various musicians such as Clazziquai's Alex Chu, Loveholics's Jiseon, Deux's Lee Hyun-do, Nell's Kim Jong-wan being featured on the album. There were rumors of disbandment after the release of Swan Songs, but later the group members stated that "there is no disbandment."

On February 13, 2006, the repackage of the album, titled Black Swan Songs, was released. It contained one new song "Photo Album" in addition to several remixes and accompaniments.[2]

Reception

Commercially, Swan Songs sold over 80,000 copies within three weeks of its release[3] and over 150,000 copies by 2007 according to Korean news sources.[4] The lead single "Fly" topped various music program charts including on the newly established program Show! Music Core,[5] in addition to topping real-time domestic charts.

The follow-up song "Paris", featuring Jiseon, also topped the charts and led the group to receive the Best Hip-Hop award at the 2005 SBS Gayo Daejeon.[6] At the 3rd Korean Music Awards, Swan Songs and "Fly" were nominated for Best Hip-Hop Album and Best Hip Hop song, respectively. In August 2006, "Fly" was recorded for Electronic Arts Korea's FIFA 07 OST for the first time.[7]

Accolades
Awards and nominations
Year Organization Category Work Result Ref.
2005 Golden Disc Awards Hip-Hop Award "Fly" Won [8]
Melon Music Awards Song of the Year Won [9]
Mnet KM Music Video Festival Best Hip-Hop Performance Won [10]
2006 Korean Music Awards Best Hip Hop Song Nominated [11]
Best Hip Hop Album Swan Songs Nominated [12]
Music program awards
Song Program Date
"Fly" Show! Music Core October 29, 2005
November 5, 2005
November 12, 2005
M Countdown November 10, 2005
Inkigayo November 27, 2005

Track listing
  1. Innisfree (Intro)
  2. Yesterday (featuring 고영준 of Brown Eyed Soul)
  3. Lesson 3 (MC)
  4. Fly (featuring Amin. J of Soulciety)
  5. Funkdamental (featuring UnknownDJs)
  6. 그녀는 몰라 (featuring MYK)
  7. Ride (featuring L. Wan)
  8. 이별, 만남... 그 중점에서 (featuring Alex of Clazziquai)
  9. The Epikurean (Intermission)
  10. Paris (featuring Jisun of Loveholics)
  11. Let It Rain (featuring 김종완 of Nell)
  12. 도시가 눈을 감지 않는 이유 (featuring 이정, Infinite Flow)
  13. Follow the Flow (featuring MYK, D-Tox)
  14. Swan Song (featuring TBNY)
  15. Goodbye (Outro)
  16. Bone Us: Elements (featuring DJ Wreckx and MYK)

References
  1. "Epik High to expand into Japan with sample CD". Arirang. March 12, 2007. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  2. "에픽하이 신보 '블랙 스완 송즈'" [Epik High's new album 'Black Swan Songs']. Segye Ilbo (in Korean). February 16, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  3. "[네티즌 인기가요] 에픽하이, 'Fly'로 온라인 정상 날개짓" [[Netizens Inkigayo] Epik High's 'Fly' to top the online world]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). November 5, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  4. "에픽하이 "우리는 '힙합 전사' 아니다"" [Epik High "We are not 'hip-hop warriors'"]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). January 31, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  5. "'쇼 음악중심' 익스, 에픽하이 등과 첫출발 성공" ['Show Music Core' succeeds for the first time with Epik High]. My Daily (in Korean). October 29, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  6. "에픽하이, SBS '가요대전' 힙합부문 수상" [Epik High wins hip-hop category at SBS 'Gayo Daejeon']. Star News (in Korean). December 29, 2005. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  7. "'피파07'에 인기 가수 '에픽하이' 참여한다" [Popular singer 'Epik High' will participate in 'FIFA 07']. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). August 17, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  8. "SG워너비 골든디스크상 대상 차지" [SG Wannabe Golden Disc Award Grand Prize Winner]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. December 8, 2005. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  9. "2005 Melon Music Awards Winners" (in Korean). Melon. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  10. "2005 Mnet KM Music Video Festival | 2005 MKMF". Mwave. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  11. "제3회 '한국대중음악상' 분야별 후보들" [Nominations by category at the 3rd 'Korean Popular Music Awards']. Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). February 15, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  12. "2006 Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album Nominees" (in Korean). Korean Music Awards. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
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