Jini – ‘An Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove’ review: promising soloist rises from the ashes

11 October, 2023

Jini

Strength isn’t always found in muscle mass or brute force. In fact, one of the most powerful shows of strength often comes in the form of quiet resilience that lingers beneath the surface of something more gentle. It’s like a secret weapon, concealed behind a soft exterior. Jini, the former NMIXX member now going it alone, embodies this contrast through her solo debut album, ‘An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove’, exploring the delicate balance between vulnerability and resolve via an ironically not-so-balanced foray into electro-pop and future bass.

‘C’mon’, the mini-album’s lead single, is a strikingly formidable re-introduction to the artist. Previously relegated to rap verses and short hooks, re-emerging as a solo artist gives Jini a well-deserved opportunity to showcase the sheer range of her vocal ability – which she fully and impressively utilises on the electro-pop track, proving her artistic versatility early on. The song is present in the EP in both English and Korean forms, and while some K-pop stars may sound awkward on tracks not in their native language, Jini’s approach feels refreshingly organic and graceful.

The single notably features rapper Aminé, who adds an extra layer of nuance through a gentle, slow tempo verse that combines with the rest of the song, while letting Jini remain in control, never threatening to overshadow her. The recurring theme of underlying grit – a solid bassline, chants of “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” throughout the song – runs like an unsuspecting undercurrent, wrapped up in masterful, elegant lyricism and Jini’s balmy vocal layers.

‘Dancing With The Devil’ is another piece of electro-pop excellence that dabbles in deeper bass and even more vocal variety from Jini. There is a relentless, thumping rhythm to the song that’s hard to shake off, characterised by sharp, syncopated synths that propel the song forward. When Jini opens the track in a lower register, she lends it more texture and creates an atmosphere that feels warm, inviting and intimate. Its production is minimal compared to the rest of the EP, but less is truly more in this scenario. The only gripe to be had with ‘Dancing With The Devil’ is its criminally short runtime of two minutes and 46 seconds, which comes to a head in an abrupt ending.

The remaining B-sides – ‘Bad Reputation’ and ‘Here We Go Again’ – are where the cracks begin to show. The former – despite being produced by British singer-songwriter MNEK and co-written by Jini herself – has a glaring lack of depth. The song might be objectively good, but, in less than two minutes, it falls into predictable, formulaic traps. Its lyrics about “loving too little or a little too much”, structure and glossy production make it feel more like radio fodder aimed solely at commercial success rather than something heartfelt.

On opener ‘Here We Go Again’, meanwhile, Jini once again flirts with a lower vocal register, going even lower than before. She incites a degree of mystique and allure, but with how strained her voice starts to sound as it drops deeper, the song struggles to resonate. That being said, the chorus is a surprisingly fun callback to early 2010s pop with its combination of both electronic and acoustic elements. When Jini sings the repetitive hook, “Like damn, here we go again, this story never ends,” though, she brings a fast-paced and – at times – uneven undulation in pitch that detracts from the fun of the song.

As her first official project as a soloist, it’s clear Jini has what it takes to rise as a prominent figure in the scene; she may even have the potential to attain a career comparable to the likes of Chung Ha and Sunmi. But as a newcomer – after years of arduous training as part of a collective act rather than a solo one – she has plenty of growth and introspection ahead of her before she’ll be able to reach those heights. ‘An Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove’ shows incredible amounts of potential in both her personal ability as a performer and her creative direction, but one can only hope she continues to evolve even further.