Remapping the Human Soul is the fourth studio album by South Korean hip hop trioEpik High. It was released throughWoollim Entertainment and CJ Music on January 23, 2007, and contains 27 tracks on two CDs.[1] The singles "Fan" and "Love Love Love" were promoted as part of the album.
The album was a commercial success in South Korea, peaking at number one on the monthly RIAK album chart for two consecutive months. It was the 3rd best-selling album of 2007 with over 120,000 copies sold.[2] It went on to win awards such asAlbum of the Year at the 2007Mnet Asian Music Awards,[3] Best Album at the 2007Seoul Music Awards,[4] and Best Hip Hop Album at the 2008Korean Music Awards.[5]
Following the popularity of the single "Fly" from their 2005 album,Swan Songs, Epik High spent a year and a half writing over 200 new songs. The group ultimately recorded 47 of those songs and selected 27 to include onRemapping the Human Soul.[6] Due to the album's controversial subject matter covering topics including sex, religion, and war, the album had its sales age-restricted, and some of its songs were banned from being played on South Korean radio stations.[7][6]
Part 2 (The Heart), which was produced by Tablo, is influenced byPhilip Glass,Billy Corgan,Timbaland.[8] He also has emphasised his interest inrock, jazz, trance, garage, as well as hip hop. Various tracks contain samples of other songs, including "The End Times (Opening)" with "真実の爆弾(Shinjitsu no bakudan)" byKing Giddra, "White Night" with "Nothing Can Stop Me" byMarilyn McCoo andBilly Davis Jr., "Mr. Doctor" with "Hasta Siempre" bySoledad Bravo, "Nocturne (Tablo's Word)" with "Once Upon a Time" byDonna Summer, "중독" with "Flashback" byDee Dee Sharp, and "Broken Toys" with "Half Forgotten Daydreams" byJohn Cameron.
Rolling Stone named "Love Love Love" the 70th greatest song in the history of Korean popular music, writing that "Epik High takes the listener through all the stages of love, from blissful infatuation to a painful breakup. Capturing the chemistry of MCs Tablo and Mithra Jin, while DJ Tukutz backspins a record like it’s 1975, it’s an eternal bop."[9] In 2024,EBS namedRemapping the Human Soul one of the 100 best Korean popular music albums since 2004.[10]
^"에픽하이, 정규 4집 앨범 발매 기념 쇼케이스 개최" [Epik High holds a showcase to commemorate the release of 4th full-length album].My Daily (in Korean). Naver. January 23, 2007. RetrievedFebruary 13, 2019.
^"2000년대 한국 대중음악 명반 100 (2004–2023)" [Top 100 Korean pop music albums of the 2000s (2004–2023)].EBS (in Korean). April 1, 2024. RetrievedApril 2, 2024.
^"디지털 뮤직 어워드 'Song of The Month' 수상한 에픽하이" [Epik High wins the Digital Music Awards 'Song of the Month'].Newsis (in Korean). Naver. March 22, 2007. RetrievedDecember 11, 2021.
"Works Search".Korea Music Copyright Association. RetrievedFebruary 13, 2019. [Note: Input "에픽하이4집" in the "Album Title" field for track list results.]
^2007.01월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2007.01 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived fromthe original on March 4, 2007. RetrievedMay 16, 2021.
^2007.02월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2007.02 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived fromthe original on February 26, 2009. RetrievedMay 16, 2021.
^2007년 가요음반판매량 [2007 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived fromthe original on October 14, 2017. RetrievedOctober 14, 2017.
^에픽하이, 1년 3개월만에 새 앨범 발매 [Epik High releases new album after 1 year and 3 months].Osen (in Korean). April 15, 2008. RetrievedSeptember 9, 2022 – via Naver.
