Eric Nam is a Korean-American singer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. This past Friday, he released his 8-song album, House on a Hill. It’s as short and sweet as you’d expect given its single digit tracklisting. In an interview with Vogue, Eric described the album as “an existential crisis, kind of an introspective period where I [had] wanted to get this house on a hill. It made me start to question what is it that makes me really happy? What’s the reason for me wanting to own a house? Is it status, is it happiness? Is it a sense of stability of something that’s mine?” Though the album is an introspective journey exploring themes of materialism, identity, and perseverance, I really enjoy the love song, “Only for a Moment”. It’s an important cut in the tracklist because it highlights the moment in which the speaker first sees a future with someone else. In the metaphorical image of a “house on a hill,” a family tends to be part of that idea. This song notes the moment the speaker finds the person they want to settle down and build that future with. 

Everything about “Only for a Moment” is tranquil. The production, engineering, and Eric Nam’s voice are designed to comfort the ears. Though the song is extremely well-polished, it is not without its humanity. There’s heart in both the lyrical content, and the vocal delivery. The cadence of Nam’s voice is sentimental, while its timbre is intimate and vulnerable. Regarding the production, I particularly adore the drums. I love the rapid hi-hat pattern, the soft snare, and the addictive kick pattern. The way they’re mixed both support and accentuate the rest of the song remarkably well. 

“Only for a Moment” is well-written regarding its structure. It fills in all the necessary puzzle pieces to make a Pop song feel complete. With two compelling verses, a climatic bridge, and a powerful three-section hook, “Only for a Moment” fulfills the requirements of its genre conventions, as well as its own narrative. One detail I quite enjoy is the way the final hook changes its wording in order to conclude the story of the song. In the first two hooks, Nam sings, “I saw our lives, flash in my eyes,” and in the final hook, “We see our lives, in front of our eyes,” thus establishing their newly unified bond. It’s also worth highlighting the cool, climbing melody behind these lines. They’re charismatic and a nice change of pace in the song. 

“Only for a Moment” is a perfect representation of House on a Hill. It’s concise, delightful, and full of emotion. It’s not the most unique song you’ll ever hear, but damn if it isn’t a joy to listen to. With catchy melodies, sentimental lyrics, and lustrous production, “Only for a Moment” is definitely worth more than a quick listen. House on a Hill is full of immensely accessible music that is bound to catch any person looking for casual ear candy, plus some gems in the mix. House on a Hill is available everywhere. 

Author: Jordan

Jordan Wisniewski is a passionate writer and Hip-Hop artist from North Carolina, US.