K-pop Pioneers DEUX to Release First Studio Album in 31 Years, Featuring AI-Recreated Voice of Late Member Kim Sung-jae
Image to help understand the article
South Korean hip-hop duo DEUX will release its fourth studio album on Nov. 21, marking its first full-length release in 31 years and featuring an artificial intelligence recreation of the voice of late member Kim Sung-jae.
The announcement was made Nov. 9 by the group's label, Wide Company. Lee Hyun-do, the surviving member and the album's executive producer, oversaw the project. DEUX's previous studio album, "Force Deux," was released in April 1995.
Two title tracks and a return to new music
The album will feature two title tracks: "The Future" and "Only for You." The latter includes a guest appearance by Dynamic Duo, a prominent South Korean hip-hop act.
"The Future" was released digitally with a music video on Nov. 7. Its message centers on moving forward rather than remaining anchored in the past. The album will also include "Rise" and "Another Day," both previously released tracks. "Rise" first appeared as a single in November 2025, marking Lee's first new DEUX-related release in 28 years. "Another Day" followed in April 2026. A remix of "Rise" by French electronic music duo Braxe + Falcon is scheduled for release Nov. 14.
AI technology brings Kim Sung-jae's voice into the album
One of the project's defining features is the use of AI to recreate Kim's vocal characteristics. The technology combines an AI vocal filter developed by voice AI company Sorisori AI in partnership with Wide Company with Lee's newly produced music.
For "Rise," the production team extracted Kim's voice from archival audio recordings using AI technology. The new album brings that reconstructed vocal presence together with Lee's contemporary musical arrangements.
The project was selected for a 2026 music-content development support program run by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency. The initiative supports music and performance projects combining popular music intellectual property with emerging technologies such as AI. The program had a total budget of 2.949 billion won, with 12 projects selected. Its AI-based music performance category was designed to support about three projects, with funding of up to 290 million won each.
Listening event previews unreleased material
Wide Company and Korean digital media outlet Dingo held a preview listening party Nov. 7 at Bolero in Itaewon, Seoul. Lee attended, while Dynamic Duo and other performers took part in celebratory performances.
The event also featured the first public presentations of two previously unreleased recordings: "I Want You" and the Braxe + Falcon remix of "Rise."
Royalties to be shared with Kim's family
Lee announced in November 2025, alongside the release of "Rise," that he intended to allocate part of his neighboring rights royalties to Kim's share. Neighboring rights are payments associated with performances and sound recordings, distinct from songwriting copyrights.
In December 2025, the Korea Music Performers Association established a framework allowing part of those distributions to be paid to Kim's surviving family. The organization said it would make payments within the limits of existing law.
A defining act in the rise of Korean hip-hop
DEUX debuted in 1993 and became one of the leading acts in popularizing hip-hop in South Korea during the 1990s. The duo scored major hits with songs including "Turn Around and Look at Me" and "In the Summer."
The group announced its breakup in 1995. Kim subsequently launched a solo career but died unexpectedly in November of that year. The last album to feature both members' voices was the 1997 greatest-hits collection "DEUX Forever." The forthcoming release reunites their musical legacies through archival material and AI-assisted vocal technology, while placing Lee's new production at the center of the project.
Comments
Post a Comment