I keep searching for the pain but itโs gone
And Iโm left with but a semblance of what used to be
What do you do when the pain is gone?
That which had felt so familiar
Has evaporated into nothingness
What should feel like peace
Feels like the absence of pleasure
Where can I confess my anonymous addiction?
The lyrical melody of Yaeji's hit "Drink I'm Sippin' on" combines the two things I love the most: The Korean language and electronic music.
Yaeji, an Korean American born DJ, producer, and singer is one of my musical inspirations.
Uniquely combining the essence of Western DJ culture with the Korean language, this entrancing infusion of sound also leaves one with pondering thoughts upon listening.
My favorite kind of art to consume is one that also makes you question the very essence of reality.
The opening lyrics of 'Drink I'm Sipping on' referenced above were once described by a Korean native speaker to be an unnatural combination of vocabulary of which they found difficult to understand.
As a native English speaker, the phrase not only is understandable to me in a literal sense, but I feel the spiritual, metaphorical nuance to the phrase as well.
I find this phenomena to be a interesting example about how language and culture, although seemingly interchangeable: are also separate entities from each other and can differ immensely.
What I love about the power of music is it's capability to transcend above those barriers.
Particularly when it comes to alternative, synthetically produced music - language can merely become an afterthought. The words being uttered do not necessarily have to adhere to a literary meaning, but rather should convey an emotion or philosophical component.
Further examples of such dynamic include other artists who's music lingers on the border of reality vs perception: Park Hye-Jin, a Seoul born LA based Rapper and DJ, as well as Nat ฤmiel better known as (yeule) and Singaporean songwriter and producer.
These artists are great examples of the post-pop movement which is slowly expanding thus giving unconventional artistry its well deserved recognition on the grand stage.