Yong-Gwanglo Part Two

Description

After the release of the first part in April 2024, Yong-Gwanglo Part Two is a kaleidoscopic journey through Ki !'s experimentation with a wide range of genres and music from different countries. The album opens with "Change My Mind" featuring Camilla Florentz from ONBC and epo-555, a song that will surprise even fans familiar with Ki ! Here, Ki ! imagines a pastiche of an 80s film, blending dream pop and 2010s indie with synthwave influences reminiscent of the Drive soundtrack. While Part One was primarily instrumental, several tracks here feature vocalists: "Non Stop Action" draws inspiration from 90s East Coast hip-hop, featuring rapper Al Agami, accompanied by instrumentation including an Irish dulcimer and a brass section inspired by Motown. "Bright Side" is performed by Australian Carl Coleman from Palace Winter, who combines Motown sensibility with indie folk. On "Down by the River," Simone Tang and Ki ! sing together a lament inspired by 1920s folk. Later, on "Sacred Heart," Ki ! and singer Steffen Westmark (The Blue Van and Ki/West) pay homage to soul music, particularly to Al Green and Curtis Mayfield. Other global influences are evident on "Kawkab el-Sharq," a wonderful escapist piece inspired by Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum (nicknamed "the star of the East"), and "Tech'awetu," directly influenced by Ki ! playing the krar, an African string instrument, which gives the album a unique character. The album also revisits pop culture influences with "Knight Rider," a cover of the iconic theme from the 80s television series of the same name. On "Manon," Ki ! evokes the suspense of a 60s film, layering fast drums, wah guitars, and insistent brass to create a sense of rhythm and urgency presented at a slower scrolling speed than today. The final track of Yong-Gwanglo Part Two, "Troi Rekall," shares Ki !'s love for retro-futuristic and dystopian science fiction films, with a nod to Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre, combined with Ki !'s sonic roots in Southeast Asia.