The Ambrosial Scent of MOONBIN&SANHA’s World

Fragrances spark dormant memories tucked away in the deepest layers of our subconscious. Something as mundane as the memories of enjoying a Sunday meal with your family can come rushing back to you with the aroma of your next-door neighbor sautéing onions and garlic in butter. Twisting open a new lip balm and breathing in its fresh and fruity notes of watermelon can conjure up memories of your time in high school. Fragrance is important; no wonder we spray our prized perfumes only on special occasions. We want to leave a lasting impression and yearn for a memory that will move beyond the lines of transitory.

“We thought it would be nice to create an album based on one of the five senses of humans,” Astro’s hunky 25-year-old singer MOON BIN explains about the inspiration behind MOONBIN&SANHA ‘s latest EP Incense. “We agreed that the most memorable one is the sense of smell, so we decided to have ‘scent’ as this album’s concept.”

MOONBIN&SANHA are the first official sub-unit of K-pop boy band Astro and debuted in September 2020 with their first EP In-Out . While Astro heavily indulge in bright electro-pop and synth-pop,  MOONBIN&SANHA  have consistently explored alternative R&B via their sub-unit releases. Over the last two years, the duo have cracked their shell open, unveiling a darker and emotionally charged side of themselves. Through In-Out, their sophomore EP Refuge (2015) and now Incense, the duo are committed to understanding the complexities of their maturity; “We wanted to show a different side from Astro so we continued exploring and developing the mature side,” MOON BIN says about exploring darker themes that lie at the core of the sub-unit’s identity. “We could continue releasing unit albums, thanks to the positive reactions that we had received.”

On their third EP Incense, MOONBIN&SANHA evoke a cascade of sensations through a rich blend of lush R&B, pop-R&B, ballad and funk. Fronted by “Madness,” the six-track EP opens with the sophisticated R&B number “Perfumer.” The all-English track is further accentuated by the singer’s sensual vocal delivery and amorous lyrics, polishing the track brilliantly. It is the perfect track to open an EP as intoxicating as Incense. The laid-back yet seductive mood created by “Perfumer” quickly takes a turn with the lead single “Madness.” Packed with grand rhythmic synths, the sultry dance number details the duo’s fatal sexiness and how it spreads like an intoxicating scent. “Chemistry and performance,” YOON SAN-HA comments when asked what the duo’s most desirable traits are. “They help us show our various charms.” 

Diving deeper into the details of the lead single, YOON SAN-HA elucidates what prompted the duo to pick “Madness” to lead their EP; “‘Madness’ represents our charms through both lyrics and melody, so we chose that track as the title track.” He admits rapping and hitting the high notes on the track were a “little challenging.” Similar to their previous releases, “Madness” is mature and demands the artists to color outside the lines when recording the track, a challenge  MOONBIN&SANHA  overcame. “At first, I was a little worried about how to really express ‘Madness’ when I heard the word,” YOON SAN-HA confesses. “However, when I focus on the music and dance, I can feel my facial expressions naturally come to life!” MOON BIN agrees; “We practiced the choreography a lot and focused more on the performance because ‘Madness’ is such a powerful song.”

The music video leaves audiences with a lingering sense of seduction. Switching between choreographed routines and their personas as master perfumers concocting a fragrance, there’s an evident spell of allure engulfing the Astro members as they perform the track. The expressions and slinky choreography add a layer of novelty to the music video, transfixing the viewer with every progression. “The music video of ‘Madness’ is related to our first and second mini albums,” MOON BIN says, weaving the conceptual threads of MOONBIN&SANHA ‘s lore. “When the music video from our second mini album ends, there is an extra ending scene where it continues to the music video of ‘Madness’. Also, there are many scene changes in this music video, so I think you’ll enjoy watching it.” YOON SAN-HA mentions shooting the music video for “Madness” took the longest time out of all the videos they have ever shot. “We put in so much effort, I love all the scenes in ‘Madness!’” he exclaims. 

The EP also features solo B-sides from the artists where each member has contributed in a writing and composing capacity. MOON BIN’s dreamy pop-R&B track “Desire” sees the protagonist decode the heated moments of push and pull in the initial stages of a relationship. On the other hand, YOON SAN-HA’s “Wish” is a love letter to his fans, Aroha, enclosed within a modern pop-ballad soundscape. Though “Desire” and “Wish” are essentially love songs, the route they ultimately opted for to express such a complicated emotion is particularly fascinating. “I write notes a lot, but I rarely write those in the form of lyrics, so I got help from my colleague,” MOON BIN says, giving us a breakdown of his experience co-writing “Desire.” “I tried to really express how I will feel if I try to get closer to another person but that person steps back farther.” He also reckons R&B is his favorite genre, so curating a solo track reflective of this genre was an enjoyable experience for him.

As for YOON SAN-HA, “Wish” was his first track where he wore the hats of co-writer and co-composer. This naturally came with some trepidation for the singer; “For me, both [writing and composing] were challenging because it was my first time. I think writing lyrics was a little more difficult.” On why his solo track is rooted in a ballad, the vocalist draws a parallel between the track and his listening habits; “I usually listen to ballad songs or calm music, so I think those styles affected me while I was working on my solo track. I had a lot of fun working on the song because it’s the genre I enjoy listening to!”

The last leg of the EP maintains the bright atmosphere from “Wish” with the upbeat pop-R&B number “Chup Chup” and the funk track “Your Day.” Incense is a rich bed of the perfect alternative R&B sounds, suited for  MOONBIN&SANHA ‘s vocal contrast. 

In a chat with Rolling Stone India, MOONBIN&SANHA reflect on their growth as a sub-unit, gravitating towards mature concepts and the love they hold for their Indian Arohas.

Do you have any specific concepts or themes you’d like your future releases to focus on? 

MOON BIN: I’d like to try a fresh concept since all three  MOONBIN&SANHA  albums were quite dark. For example, I think it’ll be nice to adopt fresh and tropical elements like those in ‘Good Evening’ by SHINee.

YOON SAN-HA: I want to try a concept that we haven’t tried yet. Something even darker, or a concept that allows us to show more mature performances.

Is there any mature theme you wish to explore in the future but are currently skeptical of doing? Any reason why you believe this might not be the right time to include those motifs in your artistry?

MOON BIN: I don’t have a detailed idea, but I think it would be cool to try the cowboy concept from the Old West. After finishing this album’s promotions, I want to try the concept with a more mature charm!

You’ve worked on three sub-unit projects so far. I’m curious to know how you measure your artistic growth from one project to another. 

MOON BIN: I think we see our own growth in this album because it includes the solo tracks that we composed and wrote lyrics to.

YOON SAN-HA: I believe we grew in overall aspects. If you compare us from the first unit album to now, you’ll notice differences and similarities at the same time. Also, our performances have gotten more powerful, so I think we developed in that sense as well.

Let’s talk about success. The commercial aspect of success – be it album sales, views, etc – has always increased with each sub-unit and Astro release. Audience reception and anticipation around your sub-unit releases have always been positive too. But how do you define and measure success?

MOON BIN: I think Sanha can agree too – I feel very accomplished when I complete my goals. For this album, we’d like to imprint our scent on people, just like our album title Incense. I think it would be great if people could be reminded of  MOONBIN&SANHA’s scent even after a certain period!

Aside from your solo songs, do you have any favorite tracks from this EP?

MOON BIN: My favorite is the first track ‘Perfumer’ because I think it’s the song that best represents  MOONBIN&SANHA  in this album.

YOON SAN-HA: I’d choose ‘Chup Chup’ because I can just see ourselves performing that bright song onstage!

Are In-Out, Refuge and Incense stand-alone EPs or are they connected? 

YOON SAN-HA: Incense is connected to both of our previous unit albums. Incense has a message of ‘We’ll make everyone happy’ with our irresistible scent, or music, in Refuge, which is the title of our second mini album.

Are there any challenges or goals you’re specifically excited to fulfill this year?

MOON BIN: Since we’re back with a unit album at the beginning of 2023, I will work hard to show various charms both as a unit and as an individual.

YOON SAN-HA: I have a lot of New Year resolutions. I hope I can try different things this year, and I want to show different sides of  MOONBIN&SANHA .

What were your biggest reflections from the past year? Any epiphanies or learnings about yourself within and outside of your work that you’re particularly grateful for?

MOON BIN: I was very grateful to be able to meet and perform in front of Aroha after a long time.

YOON SAN-HA: I agree. I’m so thankful to be able to meet Aroha in and out of Korea.

Do you have a message for your Indian Aroha? 

MOON BIN: We’re back with a new album after 10 months. This new album includes not only the title track ‘Madness’ but also the solo tracks that we wrote ourselves, so I hope you give lots of love to it. Happy New Year!

YOON SAN-HA: We worked hard to show you different charms from the previous album. I hope to make lots of happy memories together since we begin this year with our album. Please give lots of love to Incense, and always stay healthy!