【Electronica,Techno,etc】
☆ Astronoise《live》(Balloon & Needle)(2003)
Astronoise is the
noise unit by two persons, Choi Joonyong and Hong Chul-Ki. They are one
of new generation of Korean improvisers, and the first Korean noise group.
When Astronoise was formed, they were still high school students at the
end of 1996. We can listen to their performance of those days on indie
bands omnibus CD《One Day Tours》(1997). And then they formed rock band
“Puredigitalsilence” with other friends. But from 2002, they restarted
Astronose and they became regular members of “Bulgasari” improvisation
live series in Seoul.
They play CD players, TV, video decks, computer and some kinds of electronics.
Their sound is explosion noise at a certain time, and very stoic and quiet
at a certain time. They change the unit name by the musical inclination.
Astonoise is noise unit name, so you have to listen to this CD very loudly.
This was their first performance at Bulgasari.
Bulgasari is being held once or twice a month. We are very surprised that
they play on incredible new idea each time. And their music is as if sound
was only thrown up as it is. We can also call it the performance that
touches an essential portion of improvisation.
Recently they released 2nd album of Astronoise 《digression/degression》.
☆ Choi Joonyong ＆ Hong Chul-Ki 《Pulse Music Suit I-V》(Balloon & Needle)(2003)
This album is by original name of two (not Astronoise). Though track 1 is very noise, from track 2 it becomes ambient sound. This CD has 5 tracks, this is suit. Entropy increases step by step. It is the end of the expanding universe, isn’t it? Good. We recommend.
☆ Choi Joonyong《White Disc》(Balloon & Needle)(2005)
At Asian Meeting
Festival held by Otomo Yoshihide in Tokyo September 2005, there were many
Bulgasari members invited from Seoul, the concert was a great success.
Across the stage there were many desks on which every kinds of electronics,
machines, computers were. It was making a kind of strange atmosphere.
Everyone who saw this stage had to think about the entrance of new Asian
musicians
This is Choi Joonyong’s solo album made according to the Festival. The
jacket is very easy, only putting a CD in an envelope. But it is so surprised
that this simplicity expresses substance of the album. It has five tracks,
their titles are RP, CD, BW, …very simple, too.
This is the extreme minimal noise album that sounds very small and faintly.
It is the music formed by sound particles appearing irregularly and discontinuously,
or the anti-musical music refused being formed…. It is the work by no
one but an artist who leads Korean new generation.
☆ puredigitalsilence《circumfluence》(Gang AG)(1998)
This is the only
album of puredigitalsilence, the rock band formed by four persons including
two of Astronoise, Choi Joonyong and Hong Chulki. Style is rock band (wow,
female drummer!), but substance is space noise ambient psyche. We can
barely hear rhythm track. It is mixed effective space noise that might
be in background of music very loudly. (That’s it, Astronoise!)
It goes around for 70 minutes, the fantastic space epic poetry little
sophisticated by deliberate melody and chord of synthesizer. It has a
track with Daytripper, and a tune that reminds In the Court of Crimson
King. When you start CD, the great wall of “noise” sound will hardly change
your listening room to cosmic space. It has nothing, but in fact cosmic
rays are flying about space beyond count. If we can catch the waves and
listen to them, what music will be listened…never ending forever sounds….
☆ Yellow Kitchen《Random Elements ’60》(Nviron)(2002)
Yellow Kitchen
is the group that exists from 1995 (the year when the Korean indie scene
was born). At the beginning they played as alternative rock band style
including free rock improvisation. We can listen to their performances
of those days at CD《Our Nation 1》 that is the monumental album which told
the dawn of the Korean indie scene, with another indie band "Crying
Nut". They felt the deadlock for the methodology of free rock improvisation,
so they changed their music into electronic sound. And now Yellow Kitchen
is formed by computer duo.
This CD is their 2nd full album. Various elements of electronic music
disperse colorfully in this CD, techno, ambient, etc. And this is also
kitsch and psychedelic, and we can find some feelings of Residents and
German progressive bands. This has very rock tunes, too. Not too much
experimental, this is easy to listen, the pop album.
☆ Daytripper《Brown Paper》(Slowalk)(2004)
Daytripper is the
hard techno artist (real name : Ryu Han Gil), who released 1st album CD《Soojipka
(collector)》in 2000.
This album is his 2nd CD, volitional work, which includes the noise mix
by Seoul Frequency Group (Astronoise’s another unit). Fragmentary imaginary
melodies are here and there. So we can listen easily till the last track.
And we can also find some feelings of tech-noise.
☆ toxicbiasfleurivy《archetype object》(pingpongsound)(2005)
Toxicbiasfleurivy
is a young electronic group by two persons. This is their first album
released by pingpongsound records that has picks up some strange tasteful
Korean indie artists by unique choice.
This album has nice feeling as little noisy ambient techno or chill-out
noise, and is also pop and easy to listen. Track 3 is so moody that it
will be played in lounge. If they have a mistake, materials will be scattered,
but it is well constructed, skillfully.
In my personal opinion I want to listen to one more step deviation and
something to break previous arrangement. They have titles of tunes such
as Chance Operation, Fluxus Sexy Quartet. So I can expect them more experimental
sound.
☆ Sung Gi Wan 《Namu-ga Dueneun Beob》(Gang.A.G)(1999)
This is solo album of Sung Gi Wan, who is guitarist of indie band “Butterfly of Line 3” and who is a music critic. This CD has spacy psychedelic atmosphere. Here are many good experimental pop songs. Ambient opening track, track 5 by never ending feedback guitar from deep echo, track 7 by moog synthesizer, etc.. are very strange. These tues are the good accents which strengthen avant-garde color.
☆ Palan Dal《Hwi-baram Byul》(Doremi)(1998)
This album is the
dawn of Korean techno. Dal Palan, his real name is Kang Gi Young. He is
the important person of Korean rock history. From 1980’s to 90’s he was
a member of famous three rock bands, Sinawie, H2O, Pipi Band, which were
epoch making of each time and led the young. Suddenly in the end of 90’s
he change himself Dal Palan who is the first Korean techno DJ. And he
released this CD.
He says that he won’t play bass till I master techno. This CD has many
styles of techno music because of the first step. Opening number is just
like Kraut rock. It has already Dal Palan’s special character. That is
sampling of Lee Baksa, the king of Pong Chack Disco. (What is Pong Chack
Disco? Sorry, I can’t explain. It is efficacious music, not listening.)
☆ O.S.T.《Lies》(P-vine)(2001)
This album is soundtrack from Korean scandalous SM motion pictures “Lie”. Music is by Dal Palan. This is very strange, surrealistic and cool. This feeling is so uncomfortable and weird that I can’t modify. It can’t be valued good or not. You will need medicine because of bad trip in brain. It includes a song by indie Pong Chack Disco singer Bol Palgan. This CD jacket is Japanese version.
☆ O.S.T.《Ring》(Sony Music)(1999)
This is soundtrack
from Korean version of motion picture “Ring”. Music is by Chang Young
Gyu, bassist of avant rock band “Eo Eo Boo Project”, and multi artist
Won Il, leader of new generation Samulnori group “Puri” (he was also a
member of Eo Eo Boo).
It is very nice like straight contemporary music. Horror movie’s soundtrack
must be so. Track 16 “ In the well” is one of best! Almost of effective
sound tracks are very short. I am little disappointed, but this is soundtrack
album, I have no choice. It is a piece of unknown Korean avant-garde.