Andrew Tan ‘The Only One I Wanna Know’ – Album Review

On May 18th, Andrew Tan released his new album, The Only One I Wanna Know, and I am so excited about this record, so let’s dive in.

Before I start, here’s a brief profile for this artist – Chen Shi An, popularly known as Andrew Tan, is a Malaysian singer and actor born on June 4th, 1984. He’s currently based in Taiwan and managed by Starlight Entertainment. Andrew officially debuted in 2007 but gained fame through his 2010 release, “Tianhou (Stardom)”. I discovered him as an artist signed to Eagle Music with Bii, Dino Lee and Ian Chen. I’ve been in love with his voice since then.

(Please note – this is a real-time review. Meaning I am typing down my exact thoughts while listening to each song.)

Reaction to Title Track/ Official MV:

• This song is a secondary title track for the album.
• I love the guitar intro on “Mutual Pain”. For some reason, a good portion of Taiwanese music tends to have a pop-rock fusion sound that I always enjoy.
• The visuals for this music video are stunning. Andrew Tan and Eugenie Liu look good, and they have me wishing this was a movie because their on-screen chemistry is captivating.
• I love Andrews’s voice, and the production on this song is good, so it gets a thumbs up from me.

Album Review:

1. Lost Soul (“Close to You” LINE TV Incidental Music) – Disclaimer: I have already listened to this song, “Round & Round” and “Listen To Your Heart” because they are pre-release singles. “Lost Soul” is a beautiful piece, and I could never get tired of this song because Andrew Tan’s emotional delivery is impeccable. On that note, this is my first favourite.
2. Round & Round (“Close to You” LINE TV Incidental Music) – Another familiar tune, and I love this song as well. Plus, it has that pop-rock sound that I mentioned earlier, and Andrew’s tone on this track is so rich. “Round & Round” has a very catchy melody; I catch myself attempting to sing along whenever it comes on. My second favourite✌🏼. 
3. Mutual Pain – I just remembered the first time I heard Andrew Tan’s voice on the collaboration single – “Epochal Times”, which also features Bii, Ian Chen and Dino Lee. I was immediately captivated because of his deep tone in comparison to the other singers. Till now, I’m amazed by his control and emotional delivery. How can someone be this good?
4. Shape of Loneliness – First new song, and it’s more of a power ballad combined with a mid-tempo instrumental. I love this sound as well, and of course, the vocals are on point.
5. The Only One I Wanna Know (“Close to You” LINE TV Incidental Music) – When Andrew released the album sampler, this song caught my attention, so I’m eager to hear the entire piece. Plus, I believe this is the main title track of the album. I think I’ve found another favourite. “The Only One I Wanna Know” has such a graceful melody, makes me want to sing along—also, beautiful production!
6. Go Home – Okay, this track has an interesting intro, and I’m enjoying the chord progression, + the vocals are serving big time. I don’t know what it is about this song, but it’s making me nostalgic. I love it, and yes, it’s another favourite for me.
7. Where Is The Love – Alright, this seems to be serving R&B-styled vocals but still with a pop-rock instrumental. Yet another great song, and the production quality is perfect. There’s no need to mention Andrew’s vocal delivery again, or else I’ll start sounding like a broken record.
8. Listen To Your Heart (109 HBL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL LEAGUE THEME) – This was the first pre-release single, and I love this song as well. It also showcases the exceptional qualities of the previous tracks, but it’s more on the super intense rock and vocal performance spectrum.
9. First Dawn – Andrew decided to slow things down with “First Dawn” and brought us to a more mellow space. This song is perfect since we’re getting to the close of the album + you all know I live for ballads; therefore, this is right up my alley. Also, the instrumental on “First Dawn” is lovely.
10. Are You Happy Now – This is the slowest song on the album + the base instrument is a piano instead of the regular guitar and drums that we’ve been getting. I love this for me, and it’s the perfect closing to such a compelling record.

Final Thoughts:

I genuinely enjoyed every minute of this album, and I feel even though you’re a very picky listener, you’re bound to enjoy at least two to three songs. I’ve wanted to feature more reviews of Chinese and Taiwanese acts, and starting with Andrew Tan feels very satisfying. My rating for The Only One I Wanna Know is 10/10.

If your new to this artist, go check out his discography because he has a phenomenal voice, and if you’re already familiar with him, do share your favourite songs with me through the comment section.