kalon

Album ∙ Rap ∙ 2025

TopOppGen

TopOppGen’s 2025 release, kalon, is a compelling and often unsettling document of modern emotional turbulence. By choosing the ancient Greek term for “ideal beauty” as its title, the album immediately establishes a profound and ironic contrast with its lyrical content, which largely navigates themes of despair, self-sabotage, and damaged relationships. This tension between aspiration and reality is the album’s defining strength, positioning TopOppGen as a voice articulating the silent struggles of a generation that seeks perfection while living through chaos. 

Musically, kalon resides firmly within the emo-rap and hyperpop adjacent soundscapes that dominate contemporary underground rap. The production is characterized by short, sharp tracks with heavy distortion, pitched vocals, and melodies that are at once melancholic and intensely catchy. Songs like “venom” and “numb” utilize lo-fi textures and repetitive beats to create an atmosphere of emotional stasis, mirroring the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of destructive behavior. The brevity of the tracks—the entire 14-song project runs just over 35 minutes—reinforces this sense of restless urgency. 

Lyrically, TopOppGen is unflinching. The tracklist features titles such as “suicide song” and “kms,” which are not just provocative but intensely personal. The rapper approaches complex issues like mental health, substance use, and heartbreak with direct, unvarnished language. The theme of beauty, kalon, is interpreted not as an achievable state, but as a cruel ideal that highlights the narrator's current deficit. Even in moments of apparent affection, such as in the track “affectionate,” the underlying sentiment is often colored by fear of loss or impending doom, showcasing a deep-seated fragility. 

kalon is more than just a collection of sad songs; it is an exploration of the contemporary pursuit of meaning in a world that feels increasingly hollow. By confronting the ugly realities of modern life against the backdrop of an aesthetically driven sound, TopOppGen creates a resonant piece of art. The album does not offer easy answers, but its power lies in its raw, honest vulnerability, providing a space for listeners to connect with the imperfect human struggle for inner beauty and peace.