Genre-defying South Korean band, SE SO NEON premieres the second singleoff their upcoming record, “Remember!”, alongside an English version of the track. The new song is also accompanied by a music video that was shot in Seoul and self-directed by front woman, Soyoon Hwang. In addition to the release, the band announces their long awaited new album ‘<NOW>’, due out August 15th.
Led by producer and multi-instrumentalist, Soyoon Hwang, the group has crafted their own brand of lo-fi and vintage sound, displaying a wide spectrum of musical influences varying from blues and psychedelic rock to new wave and synth pop. Sung primarily in Korean, their music is rooted both in the present and in nature, making ‘<NOW>’ relatable regardless of any language barrier. “People will feel my energy and my soul,” Soyoon proclaims.
Co-produced by Soyoon and Jon Nellen (Nick Hakim) and mixed by Nathan Boddy (Pink Pantheress, Geordie Greep), “Remember!” has a dynamic and emotionally expressive tone, with significant shifts in energy throughout—ranging from gentle, introspective moments to more intense, powerful peaks. The sound is polished and immersive, with a rich stereo mix and cinematic atmosphere that conveys a heartfelt as well as nostalgic theme.
“Sadly, there are times when I come to understand myself through the death of others,” says Soyoon. “Perhaps because I haven’t experienced death very often, it seems to hit me even harder. When my friend, mentor, and respected musician, Ryuichi Sakamoto, passed away, I found myself not wanting to forget the emotions I experienced. His death left me with a determination never to forget who I am and to be able to throw myself entirely into both time and music within his support. And the way of remembering him is to hold onto this.“
After releasing her second solo album, ‘Episode1: Love’ in 2023, Soyoon felt anxiety about the band’s next move. She decided she needed a change of scenery, so she traveled to New York City to work on the next phase of SE SO NEON’s music. Being in different surroundings and spending almost 10 hours a day in the studio proved invigorating and it also made her realise that she needed to worry less about the future and live more in the present. “That’s why the album title is ‘<NOW>’,” Soyoon says. “I had been thinking, ‘I’m done. I’m not going to do music anymore.’ But after that New York experience, I felt hope.“
Soyoon’s guitar playing is key to ‘<NOW>’, aiming to defy genres to create a wholly unpredictable, yet utterly natural landscape, much like the ones she marvelled at as a child in Korea and as a young adult in Los Angeles. “I love nature—sky, sunshine,” she furthers. “‘<NOW>’ is about nature, because I’m from nature.“
‘<NOW>’ Tracklisting:
1. Twit Winter
2. Remember!
3. New Romantic
4. Now
5. Secret Police
6. Small Heart
7. Eden
8. Jayu
9. Kidd
10. Revolution
11. Pandq
12. O
