New Music Friday - 05/09
The latest in our "New Music Friday" series is live. Our writers have scoured all the best new tunes coming out of Korea's indie scene and picked their faves.
Panema – Papaya
Chosen by Marie Joncquez (@mariejoncquez)
This is a song for those who love summer, the warm breeze in their hair, lemonade, young women in floral dresses, friendship, swimming in the sun, South American vibes, little charming imperfections, the scent of thyme, palm trees, the warmth of late afternoon, fresh fruit salads, smiles, simple joie de vivre, ukuleles, maracas, light choruses, vocal harmonies… and papayas!
Lang Lee - 곰곰곰 나가자, 문문문 열고 (Bear Bear Bear, Open the Door Door Door)
Chosen by Sam Dougherty (@samtdougherty)
The Korean words for bear (곰) and door (문) are visually the mirror opposites of each other. I don’t know if this is significant to the new song by the great singer/songwriter Lang Lee, but it sure adds to its charm. Bear Bear Bear, Open the Door Door Door is a sweet spring song about self-care and independence. It’s bright-eyed, with chime-like keys and features percussion that seems like it came right out of a toy box. Everything clicks here, and the ending verse featuring the titular ‘Bear Bear Bear’ and ‘Door Door Door’ brings everything home.
The White Noise (백색소음) - Obliteration (消滅) [소멸 (消滅)]
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Obliteration pairs ethereal and bubbly instrumentals with crashing guitars and drums, like sudden tempestuous waves of an endless ocean pulling us down beneath the water. It expresses the turbulent feelings of wanting to be heard and understood. This track is the latest moody hit from The White Noise, an up-and-coming shoegaze artist with a unique vocal. I’m excited to hear more from them!
김오키 (Kim Oki) - 럭키 (Lucky)(feat. 원슈타인(Wonstein)
Chosen by Jess Howell
Lucky is a track that juxtaposes soft pensiveness with a hard introduction. You can practically hear the raindrops falling from the snare as prose free forms outside the usual lyrical dotted lines. These put a chokehold on whatever was lucky enough to get caught in your musings for five minutes before Kim’s signature saxophone administers a Rorschach Test your ears will never forget. Savour this song; Lucky is the sort of escapism manifest that so rarely decides to come around the corner.
White Moon - Shine
Chosen by Jamie Finn (@jamiefinn2209)
Clocking in at a mammoth 8 minutes, this despicably weird blues-inspired debut single has all the creepy atmosphere of a Twin Peaks soundtrack. White Moon are definitely one to watch.
TOMO - Observer
Chosen by Lim Seungjae (@HavveGo1ucky)
I didn't expect it to be an instrumental track, but Observer turned out to be an origami piece that keeps on unfolding. Right from the beginning, the drum machine hooks you in. Synth riff and electric piano swells in, giving off that classic vibe we all know. (dare I say city pop?)
Then the glitchy sound, reminiscent of modem dial-up, kicks in and adds a new layer to the simple repetitiveness. Unexpected percussion, another addition, makes you wonder if it's acoustic or virtual, as it is quickly followed by a sax-esque secondary melody. Then it all fades away, just as it all started.
In an Instagram post announcing the release, TOMO suggested pairing the whole album with Laphroaig 10Y and shine muscat - both of which sound especially appetising right now.
Asian Spice House - Chungking Dream Forest
Chosen by Jamie Finn (@jamiefinn2209)
Another band generating a lot of buzz at the moment are Asian Spice House. This gorgeous new track makes it easy to see why. Chungking Dream Forest is a dreamy gallery of traditional Asian sounds. Deeply soulful and just a touch psychedelic, this shares a certain aesthetic with Goonam.
CHEONG NAN (청난) - Shut Out The Noise
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Sometimes, we just need to “shut out the noise” of the world around us. This post-rock track matches the sombre energy that’s been shadowing over me lately, and it's the kind of song you’d listen to on one of those nightly walks to clear your mind. The instrumentals slowly build up into a noisy, cathartic release of distorted guitars, evocative of the way a breakdown feels.
Kirara - Pride
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Kirara recently released something pretty rare - an audio commentary for an album. About KIRARA acts as a companion piece in which the producer goes through the meaning behind each track. As a little bonus, though, is album closer Pride. This funky, slightly South American-inspired track was originally cut from her self-titled album due to length issues. But we’re so glad it has seen the light of day.
Rosai in Hurry (급한노새) - Lucky (럭키)
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Talk about addicting introductions. The guitars in this new indie rock single make it difficult not to play it on repeat. Is it the catchy melody? The charming vocals? I just like it all! It’s like a song you’d play on a hot summer night drive with all the windows down. It’s hard to believe it’s been over two years since Rosai in Hurry released new music, so this was a nice surprise to see.
GGCP - Crushed/Glitter
Chosen by Jamie Finn (@jamiefinn2209)
With their debut EP back in 2021, GGCP kinda created the template for the current wave of sweetly melancholic shoegaze adjacent indie pop, which is currently ubiquitous in Korea’s indie scene. On their latest EP, GGCP III, the band have managed to separate itself from the crowd. This EP is excellent and an absolute must-hear for anyone yet to get their fill of fuzz. Highlight Crushed/Glitter is an energetic and bright track with nods to early 2000s Britock bands like My Vitriol.