The Turning Gate

The Korean soundWave, Part I

“Is there any decent Korean music?” a friend asked me in a recent email. The answer is a resounding YES! Korea has some damn fine music, and it’s about time The Turning Gate took a few moments to recognize it. And so I ask you, turn your ears to the Land of the Morning Calm to explore some of the finest music I’ve found here. Six bands and 19 songs await your attention.

To begin with, I should mention that I am an American with very limited ability in the Korean language. This fact renders moot any discussion of lyrics, as I simply don’t know what most of these songs are about. My impressions, therefore, focus upon sounds, music, and the musicality of the musicians involved.

Also, you’ll need to have Asian language support enabled on your computer to display many of the song titles. Otherwise, the Korean text will just look like blocks. Regardless, you should be able to download the MP3s, though.

That said, let’s get on with it.

Bluedawn 푸른새벽

My most recent Korean musical discovery, Bluedawn make quite a good find indeed. Obeying a whim, I picked up a copy of Submarine Sickness + Waveless when the album art caught my eye and put a death grip on my attention in a record store today. The backing cover art, a sticker promising “Haunting & Beautiful Melody with Crystal Piano, Brilliant Guitar, Heartbreaking Voice” and being a release on Pastel Music were enough to seal the deal and remove whatever doubts I felt about dropping 14,500 won on an unknown.

Submarine Sickness + Waveless is a double-EP, two CDs making for a total of just eleven tracks. The music could easily have fit onto a single disc with room to spare, but here appears on two CDs seemingly for the effect of thematic division. The first disc, Submarine Sickness, features beautifully composed songs resembling the best of Mazzy Star, relying heavily upon acoustic guitar, piano and vocalist, Dawn’s, incredible voice. The other disc, Waveless, is comprised of more avant garde material, experimental and largely unstructured. The whole of the album is stunning, but if pressed to choose between the discs, I’d throw my lot with Submarine Sickness on account of its sheer beauty.

From Submarine Sickness:

Right-click to download 친절한 나의 길.

Right-click to download 우두커니 나의 우주는.

Pastel Music, the band’s record label, has also included them on a label compilation, entitled Cracker: Compilation For A Bittersweet Love Story. The included track, “Tabula Rasa”, is wonderful and sounds a great deal as if it could be an Angie Hart song.

Right-click to download Tabula Rasa.

 

Clazziquai Project

K-pop is contrived, boring and best overlooked, and so it’s easy and tempting to pigeonhole all Korean music as such. But to do so would truly be a shame. There have recently been some excellent offerings in the field of electronica, for example, and standing at the fore of Korean musical brilliance is Clazziquai.

Clazziquai is accurately described on their MySpace page as blending “lounge, house and classical music as well as groove and punk elements”. But Clazziquai goes far beyond verbal explanations. Clazziquai is a genre-hopping, category-defying, musical chameleon with all the addictive qualities of illegal narcotics. Clazziquai is insanely good, and you’d be criminal to deny yourself indulgence in these musical masterminds.

What’s more, Clazziquai sings in both Korean and English, with some songs being sung entirely in English, making them very foreigner friendly.

Right-click to download Be My Love [English Ver.], (House Remix).

Right-click to download Come To Me (Mellotron Remix, Radio Edit).

Right-click to download Skyscraper.

 

Rollercoaster

‘무지개’ (mujigae, “rainbow”) made for an appropriate introduction to Rollercoaster. It was the first of their songs I’d heard, and I loved it from first listen. Just as rainbows blend so many colors into one stunning whole, Rollercoaster fuses musical genres to stunning effect. Combining elements of rock, pop, dance, jazz, electronica and urban noir, Rollercoaster produces some of the finest music I’ve heard from any country. They’re my favorite Korean band, and one of my favorite bands period, from anywhere. Funky, groove-laden bass lines, excellent guitar work and some of the sultriest, sexiest vocals I’ve ever heard mark this exceptional band.

I’ve seen them in concert twice this year, and they’re excellent performers as well. They simply ooze personality on stage, and they rock like no one I’ve ever seen. They’re phenomenal!

Right-click to download Last Scene.

Right-click to download 무지개.

Right-click to download 두사람.

 

Humming Urban Stereo

Humming Urban Stereo has managed to collect some interesting labels. Music for Stylish ladies & girls … Sweet & lovely cute pop song! … Most Cute Dance Pop Song!!! … to cite but a few.

KBS World Radio describes them well:

Humming Urban Stereo uses the mere trifles of everyday life as it’s material for creating music. The band was created by Lee Jeereen, a 24-year-old man who is inspired by familiar things in life such as books, movies, food and friends. Thus, the lyrics of the band’s songs include lines from French movies. Sometimes, the songs are named after the title of a book by a Japanese poet that the composer had enjoyed reading. The ideas of kitsch-style by Lee Jeereen seem to lack seriousness but many times, include fun thrills. Listening to Humming Urban Stereo’s music, one naturally reflects into his or her own life. The band’s music can be simplified as something like a salad of mixed musical genres like bossa nova, acid jazz, lounge and house. The band’s music is light, smart and delightful.

Right-click to download Stalker.

Right-click to download Scully Doesn’t Know (English version).

Right-click to download 샐러드 기념일.

 

Casker

Casker has got a seriously stylish website, and their album, Skylab, also scores some major style points for both music and artwork. This was another album purchased on a whim; when I saw the album art, I fell in love and figured I couldn’t go wrong with something that looked that good. Intuition paid off – Skylab is great! The record is chock full of funky, loungy, electronic goodness.

Right-click to download 7월의 이파네마 소녀.

Right-click to download Discoid.

Right-click to download Phantom (Hidden Track).

 

Jaurim 자우림

Jaurim are well-regarded as one of Korea’s greatest rock bands. Everyone knows them, and most people have good things to say about their music. Jaurim hearkens back to American alternative rock of the 1990s, easily standing toe-to-toe with bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, with one immediately noticeable difference: a female singer. In fact, the band pays tribute to both Nirvana and Pearl Jam on a cover album released in 2005.

In Korea, however, Jaurim is best known for their large catalogue of original work, which rocks without reservation. Their popularity and their reputation are very well-deserved.

Right-click to download 미쓰 코리아.

Right-click to download 우리를 위해 기도해 주세요.

Right-click to download Good Morning.

Right-click to download 악몽(惡夢).

 

And that concludes this edition of The Turning Gate’s Korean Music Spotlight! But I’m not finished yet; there’s more to come!

In the meantime, if you’d like to purchase albums from Korean bands and you’re not in Korea, YesAsia.com is a good place to start.

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