Quick Post: The Koxx

image taken from http://thekoxx.com

Unless we're talking about the big K-Pop idol stars, it can be incredibly difficult to access--let alone really get into--the local Korean music scene. Band websites hosted by Cyworld or Daum Cafe are protected by the sites' strict user policies, which definitely don't make for easy browsing. SSAM is a music site where users can browse artist profiles and message boards, but is entirely in Korean, thereby completely unhelpful to any foreigners interested in seeing what Korean indie has to offer. There are a few record labels I've found that (while considerably smaller than the corporate giants) are big enough to have a buoyant following and showcase fairly well-known musicians: Locksmith Music, Pastel Music, HappyRobot Records. I don't doubt there are many more, but like I've said, it's been pretty difficult navigating the Korean music scene online.

Considering that July is music festival season for Korea--Jisan Valley and Pentaport are happening later this month--I thought I'd share some Korean music that might be worth checking out.

I'm posting about The Koxx because a small record store on my way to work every morning features a prominent poster of theirs in the window. After doing some research, I've found that they're considered one of the more popular and successful indie acts in the country; they play often in Hongdae venues and tour different Asian cities as well. The Koxx are a self-proclaimed 'electro/garage rock' (as seen on their Facebook page) whose sound could definitely fit right next to any of the genre's best American or European contemporaries. The band's name had me anticipating something like 1970's-revival-punk, but instead I was pleasantly surprised.

Currently, the band has released one full-length album, a mini album and a digital single. The full-length dropped in mid-June, which explains the recent buzz I'd been hearing about them. It's deserved, too: the five-piece group and their dance-y rhythms possess a level of sophistication (and fantastic production) that makes them one of the best bands I've heard come out of Korea in a long while.