Gong Joong Geu Neul‘s Afterimage reminds me of Shin Hae Gyeong‘s My Reversible Reaction. It comes from the use of synth inside the rock and psychedelic instrumentals. It has a mix of R&B elements combined with down-tempo melodies. Afterimage is Gong Joong Geu Neul’s version of this genre and they succeed on this EP.
The band started in 2018 with a couple of singles and an EP. Since then Gong Joong Geu Neul appear to have released at least a single each year and now at the end of January 2023, they have their second EP. In their composition, Gong Joong Geu Neul is able to capture this old style while adding some more recognizable elements. “Twilight” has an old tone quality but also sounds timeless. The track is a slow burn to open the EP.
“Blink” is your customary indie rock mixed with psychedelic and electronic elements. You might think this track is from Shin Hae Gyeong if you heard his earlier music. It also reminds me of 1950s rock arrangements like The Beatles. This is because overall the arrangement is simple and with the multiple layers, the song is able to grow.
“Lullaby” is closer to shoegaze and gives you a chance to really hear Gong Joong Geu Neul’s full band experience. Even with all the guitar distortion, “Lullaby” is a mellow song. Working through Afterimage, it sounds like Gong Joong Geu Neul frontloaded the EP with the tracks that used the most amount of layers. The back of Afterimage focuses more on a band sound which is really shown in “Orpheus.”
The last song on Afterimage is different from the four other tracks. “Monsoon” adds a different style to Gong Joong Geu Neul. Instead of a customary 4/4 beat, it has a bit more rhythm and groove. The bass guides “Monsoon” and I like this track the best.
Gong Joong Geu Neul uses a familiar genre but also drives its own style and signature. Afterimage is a good introduction to the band and I’m sure they’ll find their audience when more people hear the music.
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Chris P
Korean Indie owner and Editor at Large. Constantly looking for new music and working on library parity on Spotify and YouTube Music.