o. “RomanTopia” by Lee Sang Eun [이상은]

This is her twelfth album. I got the impression that the music has lighten up a bit. She’s still marching to her own beat, but following the current trend a bit (electronica) in orchestration. Still collaborating with Hajimu Takeda.

I thought it was okay.

o. “Color Your Soul” by Clazziquai Project

This is their second album. Clazziquai Project is a one-man project work by Kim Sunghoon [김성훈] with many guest (some recurring) musicians. Not sure why their full names aren’t listed.

Anyway, he is continuing his electronica-based R&B (+ some Latin beats). I think I am getting a bit more comfortable with his approach.

o. “CheongChunYeChan” [청춘예찬] by Jaurim [자우림]

This is a cover/tribute album (I really should be more careful about researching these things). Jaurim are Kim YunA [김윤아] (vocals, keyboard, piano), Lee SeonGyu [이선규] (guitars, programming, vocals), Kim JinMan [김진만] (bass, programming, vocals) and Gu TaeHun [구태훈] (drums, percussions, vocals).

Not recommended.

o. “Nah Youn Sun with Refractory” by Refractory with Nah Youn Sun [나윤선]

To me, this is actually an album by Refractory featuring Nah Youn Sun. Refractory are Jean François Blanco (programming, keyboards, guitar, base) and Louis Beaudoin (sax, arrangements).

Interesting, but I am still unsure whether this type of acid jazz (?) / electronica isn’t really my thing.

o. “Ma Non Tanto” by Lee Eun Mee [이은미]

This is her sixth album and the title translates to “but not so much”, usually a tempo notation in a musical score.

The album is a collection of mostly sentimental numbers. Too sentimental for me, actually. A change of pace for her, I am sure, but I don’t think I am into it much.

o. “Love Record” by Windy City [윈디시티]

This is their first album. Windy City are Kim BanJang [김반장] (drums, lead vocal, timbale), Yun GabYeol [윤갑열] (guitar, vocal), Kim TaeGuk [김태국] (bass, vocal), Cho MyeongJin [조명진] (keyboards, vocal) and Jeong SangGwon [정상권] (gonga, bongo, vocal, percussions).

Kim BanJang used to lead Asoto Union, but it seems this now became his main interests. The band plays, I guess, reggae / groovy / funk (or “world music”).

An interesting try. Maybe, I am getting old and I’ve been away from Korea too long, but to me, it sounds too alienated from Korea, temporarily and spatially. As much as I like having diversity in the Korean music scene, I don’t know how much his effort will connect with the Korean crowd compared to Asoto Union.

o. “ginagram” by Gina [지나]

This is her first album. Gina is also known as Seo HyeonA [서현아].

I think this could have been a collection of her graduation works at Berklee, mostly funk / light jazz, I think. Pretty solid, I thought.

o. “Old Fashioned” by Common Ground [커먼 그라운드]

This is their second album. Common Ground are G-Jey (vocal), Cho DaeYeon [조대연] (vocal), RBS (rap), Choi HuiCheol [최희철] (bass), JANE (guitar), Park SeungMin [박승민] (guitar), Hwang JeongGwan [황정관] (drums), Park MinU [박민우] (keyboards), Cho JaeBeom [조재범] (percussions), Eo YongSu [어용수] (trombone), Kim SeongMin [김성민] (trumpet), Kim JongU [김종우] (sax) and Seo DaeGwang [서대광] (trumpet).

I always found them interesting because this type of big funk band is quite unusual. The only thing is I really hate their faker English rappers. Overall, not a bad concept, but their albums are just okay. I am sure their live performance is much more enjoyable.

o. “everyday trouble” by HaePaRiSoNyeon [해파리소년]

This is his first album. Just a one-man electronica pop/rock “band”. A bit rough sounding (noise, I guess), but I kind of like most of his non-vocal numbers. I am not sure about his vocal, though. Even his female guest vocal doesn’t seem to be that appealing.

o. “Noomas” by Yoonchan Kwak [곽윤찬] with John Patitucci and Nasheet Waits

This is his third album. Pretty standard Jazz trio album. Solid, but nothing exceptional, I thought.