Inbox: Idiotape - 11111101

New for me

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My first encounter with Idiotape was at Seoulsonic's Los Angeles stop of their North America Tour last year and I highly enjoyed getting down to their well constructed house jams, which ranged from pop-sample laden goodness to straight electronic compositions with fantastic builds all enhanced by the presence of DR's live banging drums. Recently, the trio came out with their first full length album and I finally had a chance to give a listen and came away enjoying it.

Idiotape has a sound that's relatively reminiscent of French house favorites, Daft Punk, although on 11111101, the band leans away from their more pop-sample oriented side in favor of harder hitting digital instruments, resembling the Daft Punk of Human After All over their earlier acid house work, but with a touch more drive and thump and less prone to eccentricities, like in "Toad Song" which opens with grinding electronics before shifting into a lighter, electronically melodic section before building back into the booty shaking sound.

11111101 also happens to supplant their previous EP as all of those tunes make an appearance on 11111101, although I suspect in new recordings, so dedicated fans might want to hold onto their old EPs. And while many of the new album tracks are good fun, like the synthfest of "Sunset Strip" or the sunnier "Heyday", Idiotape's past hits are still big ear grabbing singles of the album, like the bleeping head-nodder of "Idio_T" with its melodic electronics and guitar hits or a crazy buildup of "Even Floor" that lends itself to the hottest energy of the album. However, having an album held up by older works does raise questions about the trio's creative sustainability.

Still, since this is their first album, it's hard to hold it against them and the album tracks are still pretty good. While Idiotape is best heard live, complete with wall shaking drums and spontaneous melodies and knob-twiddling from ZEZE and DGURU, 11111101 is the next best thing, providing a fifty five minute long set of house music that will start your toes tapping before you suddenly find your limbs flailing around in dance. Granted, the music isn't quite as accessible without their more pop-infused work, so those who aren't into pure electronic dance music are unlikely to be convinced by 11111101, but for everyone else, Idiotape's first album is a party on a compact disc. 8/10.

Tracklist:

1. Pluto
2. 080509
3. Melodie
4. Sunset Strip
5. Idio_T
6. Heyday
7. Toad Song
8. Even Floor
9. Wasted
10. League

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• More reviews: Korean Indie, wakesidevision
• Available at iTunes and YesAsia

Commentary: Memorable Music Moments in Korean Film

What I have to say about music

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Long before I rediscovered Korean music, it was Korean cinema that drew me into exploring long dormant elements of my Korean heritage. And, in fact, it's all due to Korean cinema that I developed an overwhelming interest in Korean music, so I'd like to take a journey through the soundtracks, films, and musical moments in Korean film that remain etched into my memory.

Starting a Korean Music Obsession

It was in the early 2000's that I first encountered Korean music in movies that made me pay attention to the music and buy the associated acts' albums. Here are some very memorable pop soundtracks to some good movies:

• 플란다스의 개 (2000) (Barking Dogs Never Bite/A Higher Animal)
  
  The first of many big name directors, Bong Joonho, for this list, I remember being stunned when I popped in the DVD to this dark comedy and the raucous and fantastic chaos of Cherry Filter's theme to the album (featured in the chase sequence), with its thunderous rap-metal sound came blasting into my speakers. Before watching this movie, I don't believe I've ever heard such an intense, hard sound out of Korea and while further investigation led to the discovery of a legacy of Korean metal, Cherry Filter was my introduction. I made a point to search out and buy their first album, Head-Up, on my very next trip to Korea.
• 반칙왕 (2000) (The Foul King)
  
  Kim Jiwoon's The Foul King was another movie I watched around the same time and the wildly creative madcap soundtrack, courtesy of indie vanguards, the Uh Uh Boo Project, was vividly memorable, from the theme "사각의 진혼곡" ("Requiem of the Square"), to the affected drunken melancholy street song of "무더운 하루" during Daeho's (Song Kangho) dream sequence turned nightmare. Unfortunately, I failed to grab a copy of this soundtrack or Uh Uh Boo Project's albums before they all went out of print.
• ...ing (2003)
  
  While Lee Unhee doesn't quite have the auteur distinction of the previous two directors on this list, ...ing proved to be a pretty good melodrama, despite some of the cliches indulged in its story. I was also instantly captivated by its soundtrack, thanks to the opening sequence featuring "그녀에게" ("For Her"), courtesy of Whiru and 3rd Line Butterfly. Further into the movie were many indie-rock touches musical moments in the score, a ballad from Yi Sung Yol, "기다림" ("Waiting") that had my non-Korean friends searching for the MP3, as well as several original alt-rock pieces written by Bang Joonsuk, the musical director of the film under the moniker Blue in Green, who was responsible for a number of my favorite soundtracks, including Who Are You?, a rather ho-hum movie, but featuring a great indie rock soundtrack.

Music in the Picture

Not only does Korean film use music well in their soundtrack, but also also as an element in their actual narratives.

• 박하사탕 (1999) (Peppermint Candy)
  
  If there's any Korean director that I think makes smart and deliberate use of music in the narrative of his films, Lee Changdong is easily one of the first that I'll mention. Lee's choice of the Sand Pebbles' psychedelic rock of "나 어떡해" ("What About Me?"), turned into a group folk chant helped ground the picture in its 1970's era, also displaying the freedom and the innocence of its singers before the dictatorship's crackdown, which main character Yongho (Sol Kyunggu) was complicit to. The crackdown also had a notable impact on the Korean music industry, extremely limiting the freedom of speech and setting up the downfall of Korean rock as well, so this is a poignant and multi-layered choice. Lee would again mine the '70's for Secret Sunshine, aptly choosing Kim Chooja's "거짓말" ("Lies") for a scene where Shinae (Jeon Doyeon) sabotages a Christian gathering by playing the song over the speakers during a prayer session.
• Radio Star (2006)
  
  And there is no more appropriate place to prominently feature music in movies, than in movies about music or musicians. Lee Joonik is responsible for two such movies featuring washed up rockers, Radio Star and The Happy Life (2007), but he even extends his music obsession into his Vietnam War film 님은 먼곳에 (2008) (Sunny), itself named after a popular song again by Kim Chooja, having the main character, Sunny (Soo Ae), join a band that provides entertainment to soldiers fighting in Vietnam. In the case of Radio Star, Bang Joonsuk (again handling the score) actually created Choi Gon's (Park Joonghoon) hit song, but crafts a rock ballad that believably fits into its era.
• 고고70 (2008) (Go Go 70's)
  
  And then there are films which actually focus on the music. Go Go 70's (Bang Joonsuk again involved, including in storywriting) takes a look at the underground go-go club musical movement of the '70's and an early Korean soul band, The Devils, as well as the oppressive military regime that worked to crush the unruly music scene. Other movies about music include a horror movie that makes a comment or two about K-pop's idol industry in White: Melody of the Curse (2011) as well as the auto-documentary 반드시 크게 들을 것 (2009) (Turn It Up to 11), featuring a story of two bands in the Korean indie music scene.

Korean Cinema Scores!

Even more can be said about the scoring work in Korean cinema, which can range from subtle to extreme. I've discovered some favorite composers from watching Korean film, including the aforementioned Bang Joonsuk, but also Lee Byungwoo, who was responsible for the haunting theme to 장화, 홍련 (2003) (A Tale of Two Sisters) as well as a number of other movies Korean films fans will know, but that's a whole topic in itself and would probably require weeks more research.

So how about you? What are your favorite Korean cinema soundtracks, scores, musical moments in film, or movies about music?

Replay: Asoto Union - Sound Renovates a Structure

Revisiting music

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Korea is no stranger to funk music, with popular Korean funkmasters 사랑과 평화 (Love and Peace) having been active since 1978 and while that's the only old school band I'm aware of, DJ Soulscape's work on Sounds of Seoul assures me that there was plenty more funk to go around back in the day. And, in 2003, Asoto Union released their Sound Renovates a Structure, infusing the not-so-groovy Korean music scene with a shot of some fantastic jazz-funk, fused with a little soul, contemporary R&B and hip hop. And while the band itself didn't last long, their one album, Sound Renovates a Structure, should well be remembered as one of the finest offerings of Korean funk in the recent decade.

The band's main focus is jazz-funk and more than half of Sound Renovates a Structure is built on instrumental builds over deep funk grooves. And you get to hear the whole band in almost every song, which is apparent from the first main track "We Don't Stop", which opens with driving beat from Kim Banjang and some punchy funk bass from Kim Moonhee, because Yoon Gabyul's funky guitars and Im Jihoon's rolling organs work with the rhythm section to lock down a great groove as guest trumpeter Lee Juhan (presently of Winterplay) breaks out some jazz-funk improvisation work on the trumpet.

But the band has some pop accessibility thanks to a regular vocal presence on most tracks, even it's usually simple chants and choruses. The title calls on "Make it Boogie (We've Got Funky Jazz)" help create a hook for the song while Im handles principle improvisation duties. Yet, vocals help power some of Asoto Union's most memorable tracks, like Kim Banjang's beautifully smooth soul vocals powering the addictive "Think About 'Chu" all on top of a fantastic groove laid down by the two Kims and colored by Im's organs. The band also gets a great spike of hip hop, courtesy of Dynamic Duo, on "Mad Funk Camp All Starz", naturally illustrating the longstanding link between the two genres.

But for all of the natural singles on the album, it's really held together well by the groovy album tracks, which might not stick out in memory as well, but provide for such a fantastic listening experience, like the P-Funk vocal influenced "Dynamite" with its great jazzy key work from Im. And that makes the whole of Sound Renovates a Structure such a fantastic overall listen, one that instantly catches a groove from its opening track up through its hidden reggae bit at the end of the album. The band would eventually divide, Kim Banjang and Yoon Gabyul taking the Afro-Caribbean/Latin influences further with Windy City and Im Jihoon and Kim Moonhee delving further into funk with Funkafric Booster (now Funkafric & BoostDah) and while I enjoy both bands' respective work since, Sound Renovates a Structure remains some of the best work that members of either band have ever produced. 10/10.

Tracklist:

1. ...Sound Renovates a Structure Intro
2. We Don't Stop (feat. 이주한)
3. Make It Boogie (We've Got Funky Jazz)
   
4. Liquid
5. Think About 'Chu
   
6. Dynamite
7. Blow Ma Mind (feat. tasha(윤미래))
8. Smood Feelin
9. Mad Funk Camp All Starz (feat. Dynamic Duo (최자와 개코))
10. A.U. Theme (feat. Shadow)

Links:

• Available at YesAsia

Inbox: Galaxy Express - Come On & Get Up!

New for me

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The first follow-up to Galaxy Expresses enormous debut double album is, appropriately, an EP. Like their album, Come On & Get Up! is brimming with garage rock blasters and several of the tracks include some of the added complexity or genre drift that the band exhibited on Noise on Fire. Interestingly enough, even though this EP feels almost long enough to be an album, it really benefits from its brevity, resulting in a furious, energetic listen.

The EP opens up perfectly with the title track, with a chorus of "Hey!"'s alongside classic bobbing garage guitars before continuing into the energetic track, which breaks a little with garage tradition by throwing in a wailing rock guitar solo in the second half. The music slows a little and becomes a touch more complex in the guitar arrangement for the following "홀로 이렇게" before the band does something really different on the third track, "가요". A cover of electronic dance-art duo EE's track off their first album, Galaxy Express transform it into a garage-space rock burner, with generous instrumental breaks, erupting with wailing from Lee and Park and then a mid-song shift into a brighter song, turning it into an over six-minute long opus that captivates.

The trio continue to live up to their name with the instrumental spacey odyssey of "Worm Hole" before throwing a touch of emo vocals into their sound on the short, rocking "오늘밤 너와". The EP concludes with a new version of the reflective "Lost Days" and the thumping rocker "Break It Down", closing the EP just as the band opened it, capping off a fantastic blast of frenetic rock and roll. In some ways, this is better than Noise on Fire, simply because it's abbreviated as Galaxy Express' level of aggressive rock and roll proved to be almost too much to sustain over two discs in a single listen, but in the quick-blast format of an EP, it's like riding a roller coaster into space: fast, furious, and fun. 9/10.

Tracklist:

1. Come On and Get Up
2. 홀로 이렇게
   
3. 가요
4. Worm Hole
5. 오늘밤 너와
6. Lost Days
7. Break It Down ('프리스타일 풋볼' 주제곡)

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• Available at iTunes and YesAsia

Inbox: Peterpan Complex - Love

New for me

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Peterpan Complex's fourth album, Love, is interesting because it does mark a little bit of a shift in sound away from the Britpop style that it had previously embraced, although that aspect of the band's musical identity is still quite present. However, in embracing a little bit more of its electronic synth elements in the arrangement and production helps strengthen the band's unique identity.

First of all, Love is a rather short album, running thirty-three minutes over nine tracks and could have probably stood one or two more songs, but at least what experience there is to be had is pretty good. The opening track, "모닝콜", actually embraces a touch of a pop sound, reminiscent of John Mayer, bringing in some slightly bluesy acoustic guitars and is instantly a different sound for the band, which adequately signals that the band's sound is shifting, however, Jeon Jihan's vocals stay in that same distorted style as before, adapting well to the change.

The other more poppy tracks include "매직" which blends the band's modern rock style with piano on the chorus with an uptempo synth touched verses and the following track, "로맨티스트" is driven by a thumpy synthpop beat and full of beeps and bloops and even a slight moment of auto-tune, while "Grace (서은혜를 위한 테마)" has a pulsing electropop beat coursing through it.

And aside from the sunnier opening track, most of these shifts towards a greater electronic sound never sounds forced or inorganic as the band hardly foregoes their band instruments and their music did frequently include synthesized instruments in the past. But those looking for more Britpop sound from the band will also find it with almost half of the tracklist, hitting a memorable point with "안녕".

The band closes the album with a rather different track, a simple piano and synth accompanying a tribute to a mother in "Tell Me Mama". Even despite the mild shift in sound, the band is still firmly anchored in their Britpop sound, which is the undercurrent to most of the tracks on the album, with the exception of the opening and closing tracks, and so Love will likely please existing fans, but will also be unlikely to draw new ones. All the same, I do feel like Love establishes more their uniqueness even within their genre in further embracing pop-friendly electronic sounds and keeping the album to a good set of strong songs. And that makes Peterpan Complex's fourth album yet another good one in their discography.

Tracklist:

1. 모닝콜
   
2. 보고 싶어서
3. 사랑 (duet with 우미진)
4. 매직
5. 로맨티스트
6. 고마워
7. 안녕 (feat. 신해철)
   
8. Grace (서은혜를 위한 테마)
9. Tell Me Mama

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• Additional Reviews: wakesidevision
• Available at iTunes and YesAsia