Weekly Music Roundup: Leenalchi, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, and Mei Semones

This week, new LPs from Korea’s Leenalchi and LA’s Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith; plus new songs from Mei Semones, Drag Talk, and Jordan Rakei.

Korea’s Leenalchi Reinvent an 18th Century Story

First, Leenalchi is pronounced EE-nal-chi; the initial L is silent. Equally unusual is the band’s sound – a mix of traditional Korean pansori singing with bass-heavy funk-rock. Pansori is a form of storytelling that uses a distinctly Korean blend of stylized speech and song, and can be a challenging listen for Westerners. But Leenalchi will probably appeal to fans of early Talking Heads and the B-52s, and their new album, Sugungga, offers a danceable, at times gently psychedelic approach to one of the five extant pansori epics. It tells of a turtle who goes on an adventure to find a rabbit, whose liver will heal the dragon king. Apparently other animals appear as well, and this track, called “Tiger Is Coming,” highlights the band’s unique (and guitar-free) lineup of four pansori singers with two basses, drums, and keyboards. 

Mei Semones Releases Title Track From Her Next LP

Singer and guitarist Mei Semones has already rewritten the rules for a “guitar hero” – rather than lightning fast shredding, she builds her songs around her own idiosyncratic blend of jazz, bossa nova, and art rock. Her new single, “Howl,” is the title track of her forthcoming album, due on January 15. “Howl” sees Semones whipping between oddly-shaped chords, jazzy riffs, and almost classical lyricism on her acoustic guitar, while similarly moving seamlessly between English and Japanese vocals. The song is episodic as opposed to the usual ABA format, and that too is a regular part of the Mei Semones playbook. 

LA Band Drag Talk Goes Amps To 11

Drag Talk is a group from LA who have an EP to their credit and will be releasing their debut LP, Drink The Ocean, on October 30. With three guitarists in the group, this was never going to be a soft-rock affair, but even so, things are cranked up on the band’s new single, “Would It Kill You.” The song has a strong 90s sound, a mix of shoegaze distortion and melodic vocals that might owe a bit to bands like Collective Soul (another band that had three guitarists) or pop-punk outfits like Weezer. Or, as one of Drag Talk’s many guitarists says, “we’re hardcore punk dudes who love Oasis.” Lyrically, the song’s hooky chorus, “would it kill you to try,” turns out to be less motivational and more of a warning, as singer Jutty Taylor offers up a series of questionable behaviors. A droll video full of dangerous stunts gone awry only adds to the appeal.

An Early Glimpse Of Jordan Rakei’s Next LP

Jordan Rakei is a London-based singer and songwriter, born in New Zealand and largely raised in Australia. Under his given name he’s released several albums of alternative R&B and soul, the last one perhaps showing more of a Joni Mitchell influence. But he’s also made dance music under the name Dan Kye. Rakei’s next album will be called A Safe Place To Be Wild, and though it won’t come out until next February, he has just dropped this single called “Paradise,” which suggests a meeting of his two musical personae. A sturdy drum groove underpins a song about the simple pleasures of home – a paradise that’s often taken for granted. 

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s Music For What Comes After

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has established herself as an electronic music creator with a distinctive sound - a blend of ambient electronica and post-classical music. But the LA-based artist has added a new element on her record RUIN: It’s Not Just Music. “Created in the aftermath and aftershock” is how she begins her description of an album seemingly responding to the wildfires that have upended lives in her area.  Smith offers a much more anxious, jittery sound world, and this song, “Ruin,” is emblematic of it: driven by the broken beats of UK club music and featuring an array of sampled and processed vocals.