Photo courtesy of Pigeons & Planes
If you haven’t already heard of her, you will. Yaeji is a name you want to know. The 24-year-old artist, né Kathy Yaeji Lee, is on the rise, and her growth in popularity seems to be exponential. Her recent work landed a feature on Fader’s blog as well as in the New Yorker and Interview, plus a spot on Pitchfork’s Best New Music list. After making waves in the electronic scene with a track Pitchfork deemed “badass”, “Drink I’m Sippin On”, Yaeji continued to receive praise for her genre-fusing beats and identity-informed lyrics. Last week, she dropped EP2. This is her second major release following her self-titled album earlier this year.
Based in New York, Yaeji often credits the city as her foremost muse. She and the big apple have quite a history. The DJ, producer, rapper, and singer quadruple threat was born in Flushing and moved throughout the boroughs with her family until her parents, fearing their daughter would become too Americanized, sent the family back to Korea. College brought the young artist back to the states, and it was there she began dabbling with music production and disk jockeying thanks to her experiences with college radio.
Photo courtesy of Pitchfork; Photo by James Emmerman
EP2, like Yaeji’s other work, echoes as if it’s playing from the same college radio basement where she debuted. The fuzzy, almost cavernous and underground aspect of the production is alluring. Hypnotic lullaby beats draw you in, and the smooth flow of her voice keeps you there, engulfed by driving bass and the thumping drum machine. English bleeds into Korean as she half whispers, half raps her way through the tracks.
https://soundcloud.com/godmodemusic/yaeji-raingurl-godmode?in=godmodemusic/sets/yaeji-ep2-godmode
Take the track “Raingurl”, for example. Right from the beginning, a thudding trap beat ushers in a resounding mantra: “rain girl, make it rain girl, make it rain.” One listen does not do this song justice. The many electronic layers of the track make it perfect for dancing; Yaeji describes this song as the “definition of introspection at the club”. There are layers to her words and their meaning. The sharp whispers feel as if she is singing directly to herself, or to the listener. “Raingurl” sends you directly to that public/private domain of introspection and seeming isolation despite being in a crowded place. An understanding of emotional claustrophobia is evident in this track. Her bottled up emotions pour out onto the floor. In the club, she is alone with her thoughts no matter how many people are around her. In Korean, roughly translated, she speaks about having the same thought every week, suffocated memories, and feeling freest in a crowded club with no windows, where she cannot see literally (but can figuratively). “Raingurl” resonates with my introversion and is my favorite track off the EP.
The previously released single, “Drink I’m Sippin On”, showcases Yaeji’s affinity for rap and her vocals offer some cohesion. Breathy and haunting, her voice floats over hi-hats and tense, tight beats. Closing the EP is a cover of Drake’s “Passionfruit”. Comparing her rendition to the original highlights the different stylistic approaches Yaeji has to offer as a producer. New York roots are reflected in the delayed echoing reminiscent of the underground sound of her music. Close your eyes while listening to “After That” and you are transported to a crowded subway station as she lures you into the darkness of the tunnel. The haze of her voice is a dimly lit basement; the sharp notes cutting in and out are a flashing strobe light. You can hear the city come alive and fall back asleep as she sings.
https://soundcloud.com/godmodemusic/yaeji-after-that-godmode?in=godmodemusic/sets/yaeji-ep2-godmode
Like drifting in and out of sleep, this five track collection feels, to me, hazy and hypnotizing. There is something simultaneously eerie and relaxing that follows you throughout the EP. Half of me feels like I am dreaming while my other half is dancing in some dimly lit warehouse in Brooklyn. Maybe it is her introverted nature, but somehow, undeniably, Yaeji is able to create a sensation of intimacy and privacy within her music.
Considering her work as a whole, EP2 stands out from recent electronic releases. Yaeji’s work escapes definition, and this piece of work specifically bridges so many of the gaps that exist to differentiate one genre from another. It is difficult to put an overarching label on her sound as she has managed to fuse aspects of trap, house, and pop, to name a few styles capable of identifying in her music.
Where can you find her? Probably underground somewhere. Maybe she will grace Seattle’s Kremwerk again (in October she was a featured DJ!), but regardless, keep checking her Soundcloud for the latest updates, and listen to EP2!
Keep up with Yaeji on Instagram, Twitter, and Soundcloud.
MADELINE THOMAS | r u a raingurl too? | KXSU Music Reporter