RYANG-YU 1st EP [Witness The Dream (꿈의 목격)]

K-Pop RYANG-YU 1st EP [ Witness The Dream ]

■ Korean Title : 꿈의 목격
■ Release Date : 2024.05.23
■ Genre : K-Pop
■ Format : CD

■ Tracklist


DISC 01
001 Carnival
002 달
003 Symmetry
004 A Suppressed Alien
005 안반데기

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From the title "Witness The Dream," we can recall dreams of the universe seen, the sea spread out in the void, or the experience of flying like a bird. We have all witnessed the sights of dreams. We encounter places we have never reached. In dreams, there is no necessity. The ground can become the sky, and we might wake up crying as if sharing an eternal love with a stranger in a dream. Familiar yet alien things. Places we have never touched. What kind of landscape did you reach in your dreams?

Since 2015, singer-songwriter Ryang-Yu, who indulges in the ambiguous and beautiful, has sung various styles of music, from blues and pop to jazz. His musical taste, which began with old pop flowing from the radio, expanded to the music of the 2000s indie scene from his family's record collection. Then he started writing songs. He sang melodies into his headset microphone, capturing the stories in his heart. In 2022, he featured as a vocalist on singer-songwriter Kim Mokin's [Stored Landscape], and based on the songs he had created since 2021, he released his debut EP [Witness The Dream].

The EP [Witness The Dream] starts with the synth-pop “Carnival,” a beat that might make you dance alone in your bedroom. “Carnival” elegantly sings of ‘imagined revenge’ with a mature female voice contrasting with its fresh and cute melody. The following track, “Moon,” likens the distance from the moon that neither comes closer nor moves further away to the distance from a past lover. It paints the depths of a breakup with synth sounds that feel like countless stars pouring down. “Symmetry” is a song written by reflecting on the song of an angel heard in a dream. It starts with a clear voice but transforms into a song filled with madness towards the end. The pre-released “A Suppressed Alien” begins with the premise, ‘What if humans are actually the aliens?’ Have we forgotten how to float, how to fly, being oppressed by elements like order or gravity that constrain humans? The final track “Anbandegi” is the only folk-oriented song. “One day, I spent a night in Anbandegi, Gangwon-do, to see the stars. This song was recorded to keep the memory of that night for a long time.” EP [Witness The Dream] was completed with producers Lee Hoseok and Piano Shoegazer, and veteran musicians Lee Dongjun (bass) and Oh Hyungseok (drums) solidified the musical foundation.

“When I first heard the demo of ‘A Suppressed Alien,’ I was so struck by the sorrowful yet beautiful feeling that I stopped in my tracks. It was an honor to work on such good songs with Ryang-Yu, and I am pleased that the work we prepared for so long is now out in the world. I remember discussing which era and world to depict, exchanging related movies and records for research. I hope many people can navigate a deep and sad river-like universe with Ryang-Yu's music. (Piano Shoegazer)”

“’Carnival’ is a bedroom pop song perfect for listening to while lying in bed. It features a refreshing bpm of 120 that wakes you up and Ryang-Yu's dreamy voice that sounds as if still lingering in a dream. ‘Anbandegi’ is the only acoustic track on this EP, lifted from Ryang-Yu’s drafts. It contains a dual atmosphere that is both crude and sophisticated. When you dissect and savor the lyrics, you can feel Ryang-Yu's sincere feelings about love. (Lee Hoseok/Singer-Songwriter)”