The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One (stylized in lower-case) is the second EP by South Korean girl group Billlie. It was released on February 23, 2022, by Mystic Story and distributed by Kakao Entertainment. The physical album is available in two versions as Soul and Unconscious.The EP is produced by Han Peacedelic Jungsu and is primarily a pop record, with bass house, jazz, alternative R&B, post-trip hop, and synth-pop influences.
Contents
Background and release
On January 27, 2022, Mystic Story confirmed all the reports that Billlie is preparing for a new and a speedy release, slated for a late-February release. A teaser posted on February 11 revealed the EP and the lead single "GingaMingaYo" would be released on February 23. The album was officially released on 23 February. It was scheduled to have a showcase on the day of the release but since 3 members, namely Siyoon, Haram, and Tsuki was diagnosed with COVID-19, the showcase was cancelled.
Composition
The group's sophomore album is primarily a pop record with influences of bass house, jazz, alternative R&B, post-trip hop and synth-pop. The EP is 15 minutes and 13 seconds and features 5 songs. Many critics observed that has a lighter, more whimsical feel with catchy deep house beats rather than their debut EP The Billage of Perception: Chapter One. One of the members of the group, Suhyeon, stated to The Korea Times that "In our debut track, we mostly focused on revealing our everyday life in a mysterious village," Suhyeon explained. "In our second release 'Snowy Night' that dropped in December, we offered a glimpse into our unconscious world. And this time, we will have people explore the deeper layers of our unconsciousness."
Songs
The lead single "GingaMingaYo (The Strange World)" was described as "containing the questions and emotions that he asks himself during the process of becoming an adult." The music video was directed by Zanybros. "GingaMingaYo" was composed in the key of B minor, with a tempo of 122 beats per minute. Other tracks include, "a sign ~ anonymous", broken beat style Jazz track, "overlap (1/1)", an alternative R&B track, "Moon Palace" (stylized as M◐◑N palace) a post-trip hop track and "Believe", a synth-pop track.
Commercial performance
The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One debuted at number 5 on Gaon Album Chart in the chart issue dated February 20–26, 2022; on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number 20 in the chart issue for February 2022 with 29,966 copies sold. It has then sold 88,763 copies. It peaked at number eighteen on Japanese Oricon Weekly Album Charts, selling 2,681 copies in Japan.
Track listing
Notes
"Moon Palace" is stylized as "M◐◑N palace".
The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One Original Soundtrack from "What Is Your B?"
The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One Original Soundtrack from "What Is Your B?" is the first soundtrack album by Billlie. It was released on March 1, 2022, with "A Sign ~ Overture to Billlie" serving as the album's lead single.
The album includes the original soundtracks for the documentary film "What Is Your B?" that accompanied the EP The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One. The jazz, alternative, R&B, trip-hop, synth pop album was made available for download and streaming.
Track listing
Notes
"Flipping a Coin" is stylized as "flipp!ng a coin".
"Everybody's Got a Secret" is stylized as "everybody's got a $ECRET"
"Moon in the Fog" is stylized as "M◐◑N in the fog"
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from NetEase Music
Recording and management
Recorded and digitally edited at 153/Joombas Studio (Seoul, South Korea)
Mixed at Studio89 and Glabudio Studio (Seoul, South Korea)
Published by 153/Joombas Publishing, EKKO Music Rights (CTGA), EKKO Music Rights Europe (CTGA), JYP Publishing (KOMCA) and NuVibe Music
Personnel
Visual Credits
Hong Wonki of Zanybros - music video direction
Shim Jihyoung of Zanybros - music video direction
Lia Kim (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography production
Dohee (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography
JJ (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography
Yeji Kim (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography
Amy Park (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography
Renan (1Million Dance Studio) - choreography
Shin Sunhye of CO-OP, Park Jinho, Song Jongsuk of studio BoB – photography
WOOK of Studio VV – cover artwork
Ko Yoon of deep.wide – package artwork and design