Song You Need To Know: 0WAVE, “With Me”

Hip-hop and R&B collectives from South Korea are truly next level and the latest to step into the scene is five-member crew, 0WAVE. Comprising VIIN, yukon, Aiboy, MODS and wooseojoon, the quintet is part of prominent Korean producer Colde’s hip-hop label Pyrat.

0WAVE dropped their first EP Off The Wall in December 2022 which features a total of five tracks. The second single “With Me” is particularly catchy thanks to it’s uplifting alt-R&B and trap blend. The lyrics implore a potential significant other to give a relationship a shot. “Shawty what’s your problem/ Why you ain’t vibin’ with me/ Keepin’ eyes on something else/ Can you not see what you need?/ Seven now, make it seven again/ See the sunrise with me.”

The music video shows VIIN, Aiboy, MODS and wooseojoon hanging out together throughout the day by a river, getting burgers together after the sun sets. yukon sings his verses in New York and appears on the screen of an old-school TV, ‘joining’ the rest of 0WAVE at the beginning and end of the clip.

All five members switch between vocals and rap on Off The Wall, exploring various branches of hip-hop and R&B to deliver a smooth and experimental listening experience. The anthemic lead single “Hey” is more trap and hip-hop heavy while “Wearing Off” slips into dreamier alt-R&B and “In My Dreams” builds its foundation on soul and gospel. Off The Wall ends the experience with the electro-trap “Exit,” giving listeners an idea of the crew’s wide capabilities as artists.

While yukon, Aiboy, MODS and wooseojoon are relatively newer names in the Korean music scene, VIIN–also known as Ha Yoonbin and Ben– was a former pre-debut member of popular K-pop group Treasure.