J-Hoon, a beatsmith and rapper residing in Hong Kong, makes a comeback with the release of his sophomore album, Noodles II. He is well-known for his critically lauded work as an experimental hip-hop producer and as the drummer for renowned Filipino bands Kjwan and Kapatid.
In his 14-track album, J-Hoon chronicles a decade of seeing social unrest, disorder, and dread in his native Hong Kong—a place that had until recently struggled to maintain some degree of independence. As he travels back and forth between Hong Kong and several locations/cities kilometers from his home, the multi-hyphenate shares his personal insights on life and culture in general on the varied, hip-hop-driven album.
“Lyrically, it’s a collection of stories, commentaries, and musings about my experiences living in Hong Kong,” said J-Hoon. “You could say that it’s my love letter to the bustling city, a poetic unravelling of its beautiful and ugly side amidst the crumbling terror of political conflict. It’s also diarist in tone and very much contemplative; I didn’t know that I would be this brave to open up about my encounters in life, where stories and emotions sometimes get the best of me. Writing, for the most part, is cleansing and healing, and I really had a great time doing this exercise in my convenient time.”
J-Hoon’s more mature perspective on hip-hop, boom-bap, jazz, trap, neo-soul, IDM, and electronic music is on display in Noodles II. In comparison to his debut album, there is a looser vibe to his musicality, and the tracks are clearly more out of control. Noodles II’s talent for intimacy and free-spirited energy, which explores music from various genres, eras, and locations in a more playful manner, is what makes it an appealing album.
“This time around, I moved on to Ableton and MPD from AKAI,” shares the multi-cultural hip-hop head. “The approach is very much different from my debut as I’m more inclined to embrace less complex structures, and more of that classic hip-hop format. Also, I am playing real keys in some songs in this album, so that’s new. The overall vibe is reminiscent of the kind of analog and lo-fi hip-hop that I grew up with. But instead of making something more polished, I’ve tried to retain that raw, carefree attitude in this album.”
Noodles II follows the format of Noodles I, J-Hoon’s debut album released more than a decade ago. His sophomore outing features collaborations with several Asian producers, including Manila’s very own Chi Capulong and Justin De Guzman (JDG), Guangzhou’s Pete Chen, and Seoul’s Noden and Chillingcat. J-Hoon also collaborated with rappers and MCs from different parts of the region, like Guangzhou’s Rebelman, Kuala Lumpur’s Noyz134 and Hour Tan, Tokyo’s So Wada, Hong Kong’s Mattforce, YoungQueenz, and MouseFx from SensiLion.
As J-Hoon describes the collaborative nature of Noodles II, “in a way, all these experiences and characters constitute a bowl of Noodles where you have the broth and noodles, but it also has various ingredients, cultures, and sauces coming together to bring in a new but familiar flavor.”
Last month, J-Hoon released the soulful jam “Lei Ho Leng,” where he raps about chasing perfection at the expense of tarnishing the light in one’s heart or what is known as “real” beauty. Over soulful keys and dusty, vintage grooves, the Hong Kong-based rapper-producer delivers a bop of sumptuous subtlety and class. Other highlights in the album include “Paradise,” a song written during a tumultuous period in his life living in a troubled city while moving places; the Yehaiyahan-featured track “Reality,” which serves as a reflection of our realities across different places and continents; and the jazzy “Modern Li Bai,” which is a homage to the legendary poet of the same name.
“Noodles II” track list
1. Lei Ho Leng 妳好靓 feat. Rebelman
2. War feat Noyz 134/ Hour Tan
3. Modern Li Bai (remix) feat MattForce & YoungQueenz
4. Reality feat Yeheiyahan
5. Genie
6. Do the right thing
7. Education feat MouseFx Sensil
8. Paradise
9. Flower
10. First Day
11. Take It Back feat So Wada
12. Lifeline feat Pete Chen
Bonus:
13. Reality ( Sogoloo 松果龍 remix）
14. Reality (Delf remix)
On August 9, 2023, Sony Music Entertainment will release J-Hoon’s Noodles II on all digital music platforms around the world.
