New Music Friday - our writers pick their favourite new tracks (Fri 31.01)
In the latest part of a series called “New Music Friday”, our writers will pick their favourite of all the recent singles coming out of the Korean indie music scene.
Birds Eye View - Kirara
I don’t know how Kirara does it, but she’s back again with another top-notch banger of a track. Typical of her sound, Bird’s Eye View is another dance track full of soul and character; it is fun to dance to as it is emotional. Here, Kirara shows that she is serious about returning to her earlier work’s vibrant, upbeat sound. This is the second track from her upcoming fifth album.
Cold Wind, Warm Breeze - Angelina Danilova, Marcus Way
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
The moment I heard Cold Wind, Warm Breeze, I was enveloped in a warm embrace that was much needed in this cold, lonely winter. This folky, cosy tune, with its gentle lyrics, consoled my sombre heart like a hot cup of tea on a chill December morning. Danilova and Way’s voices pair so sweetly that I couldn’t help being reminded of the comforting presence of my closest friends. This song, to me, is a gentle reminder that we shouldn’t be afraid to share the warmth in our hearts with those around us.
처방전 Prescription - 등아 FireMoth
Chosen by Marie Joncquez (@mariejoncquez)
Here’s a strange song punctuated by a persistent coughing sound. Sometimes, it feels like everything in music has already been tried, but has anyone ever used the sound of coughing to create a song’s rhythm? Obviously, the title refers to a medical prescription. The high-pitched voice and minimalist arrangements curiously give it a "chanson française" vibe: at times, it feels like listening to Thomas Fersen or Juliette, except in Korean. It’s experimental, surprising, sincere, crazy, and beautifully unusual.
My Buggy - hyejin9w9
Chosen by Sam Dougherty (@samtdougherty)
My Buggy is a song you can sing along to on first listen. An indie rock ode to the person that matters most to you, be it your friend, family, or, well… your buggy. A buzzy guitar riff and some steady electric drums are all hyejin9w9 needs to cook with. Expressive and with a spur-of-the-moment energy, hyejin’s vocals capture the feeling of hanging with your best friend again for the first time in months. A warm winter jam.
영원한 걸 바랬네 (Hope Eternal) - 공 (Gong)
Chosen by Lim Seungjae (@HavveGo1ucky)
Everyone falls in love, thinking that it will be eternal. We all know it rarely does, but still, we are drawn to it. So it’s no wonder there are so many love songs when love is such a complicated and captivating thing. This debut single from up-and-coming artist Gong also falls under the vast category of ‘love songs,’ but make no mistake dismissing it. Gong’s uniquely delicate vocals, paired with airy guitar and piano, make this song worth keeping on repeat for a while. While that doesn’t necessarily mean this first single is beyond exceptional or extraordinary, it surely makes one wonder what Gong will come up with next time.
salty - ddbb
Chosen by Jess Howell
salty is a track with an ethereal quality that's there to hold my hand while I lay sleepless in my flat at 3:00 am. Dreamy vocals both acknowledge a lack of direction in life as a shared experience and act as a stopgap to cushion restless thinkers. Slight tempo changes evoke a feeling of traversal, like wandering through a labyrinth with fleeting undertones I can bop my head to. The end wraps everything together in an emotional apex before muffling into a projection of calm reassurance. ddbb continues to encapsulate everything I’ve come to love about the Busan music scene.
훌훌 (Hool Hool) - 조하 (JOHA)
Chosen by Cam (@bigbabyclam)
I love so much about this song: JOHA's effortlessly emotional vocal delivery; the slight swing of the drums doing everything they can to fight the rhythmic tick-tocking of the sample beneath it; the big, sweeping, out-of-key chords that feel as if they're coming from a long-forgotten dusty Roland synthesizer with a busted, out of tune VCO. Music for walking away, music for hiding out, a blanket over life's reminders that love might never be enough.
Hot Dancers - Jiheun
At a tidy little minute and a half, Jiheun crafts a perfect little indie-alt tribute to insecurity and jealousy. Taken from the absolutely killer 4-track EP Therapy 2 (his second in six months), Hot Dancers is a mix of The Hold Steady and 2000s indie bands like The Maccabees. If you can’t imagine such a thing, then do yourself a favour and listen. This fella is one to watch.
m i o j i g u n a - Bahng
Have to admit to not knowing a bunch about this artist, but their recently released 6-track EP is a pretty wonderful find. A comforting mix of atmospheric acoustic/ambience. While m i o j i g u n a requires a certain amount of patience, that patience is rewarded with a chill, spacey and reflective track.
Honeycrash - Samsami
I first heard Sasami on her wild 2022 album Squeeze, which is like 50% arty industrial metal. I didn’t know that most of her work is thoughtful yet uncompromising art-pop like this. This was actually released as a single several months ago but was recently repackaged as a new EP with some other singles. I’ve gone with the sombre Sia-esque Honeycrash. It’s a gorgeous song about love, loss, and going for the easy answers, even when they’re bad for you.