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Luaka Bop is releasing an album by the radical and wonderful Korean act Leenalchi. It might have been Brian Eno who sent me a video of one of their Korean performances- I loved it. Young-gyu Jang from the band has created a playlist of exciting Korean music and he has written the informative introduction below. Enjoy!
- David Byrne
Korean band music began after the Korean War in 1950, taking root as U.S. forces stationed in Korea from 1953 brought their culture with them. In the early years, bands were largely under the direct influence of the American military, performing mainly U.S. pop songs and Korean-language cover versions of Western hits.
From the 1960s, a distinctly Korean sound began to emerge. Genres like psychedelic and soul blended with traditional Korean melodies, giving rise to a wide spectrum of music ranging from experimental to mainstream. Shin Joong-hyun — composer, guitarist, and vocalist — was the defining figure of this era, with bands such as ADD4, Key Boys, HE6, and Donkies representing the scene.
In the 1970s, the momentum carried over from the previous decade until a major marijuana scandal in 1975 brought the scene to a sharp halt. From the latter half of the decade, bands influenced by disco and funk began to appear, while campus bands started forming across universities. Groups such as Sanullim, Love and Peace, Sand Pebbles, Runaway, Black Tetra, Devils, Wild Cats, Magma, Shin Joong-hyun and Yeupjeon-deul, and Beosnimduel defined this period.
In the 1980s, campus bands made the leap into the professional music industry, while heavy metal and underground bands emerged and gained widespread popularity. Acts like Songgolmae, Deulgukhwa, Sinchon Blues, Sinawe, Baekdoosan, Jageun Geoin, Boohwal, Zoo, Five Fingers, and Spring Summer Fall Winter were among the most active of the era.
From the mid-1990s, an unprecedented number of indie bands formed, centered around the Hongik University area, giving birth to a thriving independent music scene. Crying Nut, Deli Spice, Jaurim, Bbibbi Band, No Brain, Unni's Barbershop, Uhuhboo Project, Hwang Shin-hye Band, Wonderbird, and N.EX.T led this wave.
Since the 2000s, the boundaries between genres have broken down, and bands with strong individual identities have come to the fore. Many have expanded their reach beyond Korea to international stages. Acts such as Nell, The Black Skirts, Jang Kiha and the Faces, Sultan of the Disco, SsingSsing, Goonam and Yeo Riding Stella, Hyukoh, Leenalchi, Silica Gel, ADOY, Se Sonyon, Haepari, and Jambinai continue to make their mark, each with a sound entirely their own
- Young-gyu Jang, Leenalchi
Listen to this month's playlist on: Apple Music: Click Here Mixcloud (free streaming): Click Here |
My new book SLEEPING BEAUTIES is out Oct 6th! Uncover how breakthroughs across the arts and sciences get forgotten, and how they get rediscovered... |
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Check out the new tour dates HERE (New NYC, LA, ASIA, MEXICO dates added) |
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My new album "Who Is The Sky?" is now available on all streaming platforms - LISTEN HERE |
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