Dazzling Hope: Sunwoojunga Discusses New Album Beyond [1. Black Shimmer]
Photos Courtesy of Magic Strawberry Sound
Sunwoojunga’s latest mini-album, titled Beyond [1. Black Shimmer], is music to take you from darkness to light while dancing and venting out, whenever you need it. We asked the artist to tell us something more about the five tracks of this record, which will be followed by a part two in just a few months.
Upon the release on July 15, Magic Strawberry Sound, Sunwoojunga’s agency, stated: “Sunwoojunga's full album Beyond embodies her long-held desire to always be a musician who reaches beyond.” They also announced the intention of releasing two different EPs instead of one full-length album: “While the message and direction we want to convey through the album are clear, the songs included boast different styles. Therefore, instead of including all the songs in one album, we decided to release them divided into two parts according to emotional and genre-based styles.”
Beyond [1. Black Shimmer] has two title tracks, the invigorating “STAR CANDY,” with overflowing energy like exploding stars, and the more intimate “what the hell,” an elegant outcry towards those who have hurt the singer and their rudeness. Each song, in its own way, expresses a sense of liberation and freedom. Even the other tracks of the record follow suit: “Youth, for a while” and “Shimmer” feature self-confessional lyrics about drawing one’s own trajectory despite everything, and as the final track “Jazz Box (Beyond ver)” evolves, it crafts otherworldly soundscapes, creating the illusion of traversing multiple planets.
Sunwoojunga’s musical career spans almost over two decades (her first record, Masstige, was released in 2006), The desire to experiment, or more precisely, to challenge oneself, has always been at the heart of it all. That’s what Sunwoojunga told us when we last spoke with her last January. She recounted a musical journey of continuous self-exploration, which is never casual but follows deliberate paths.
We find all of this in Beyond [1. Black Shimmer]: the diverse interests of someone who defies genre labels are unified by a common theme, or perhaps a mood, a suggestion. But we’ll let the musician explain the concept behind her latest work, in her own words.
Q: Considering how you always select very carefully the titles of your works, what is the meaning behind Beyond [1. Black Shimmer]?
Sunwoojunga: This album will contain sounds and stories from beyond. The reason for using the future tense is that it will be complete with the upcoming release of part two. “Beyond” can refer to both the future and the past. I wanted to create an album like a universe where time is intertwined and coexists. Part one collects songs where hope shines brightly. These are songs that evoke stars appearing more clearly in the darkness. That's why it's named Black Shimmer.
Q: What were the primary musical influences for this album?
S: I believe that the album is influenced by the overall sound of the ‘80s, including disco, soul, rock, and jazz. Among these influences, Prince's infectious grooves, David Bowie's expansive arrangement ideas, and Chaka Khan's singing stood out and inspired me.
Q: Did it take long to shape this album? Are these songs new creations or something she has been working over already in the past?
S: It's all mixed up. I originally worked on "STAR CANDY" in 2020 and completed it earlier this year with a new mindset and goals. "Youth, for a while" was created in 2017 and recorded in 2019, but was also completed this year with a new arrangement. "what the hell" and "Shimmer" are the most recent tracks, with their initial demos done within the past two years.
Q: And what about “JAZZ BOX (Beyond ver.)”? You performed it live on YouTube before…
S: The “JAZZ BOX” you mentioned is indeed the theme song I composed for my YouTube Live Show. Every time I sang it during the show’s opening and ending, I always had a desire to include it in my future album with a unique (but 100% my style) arrangement. And my desire has been realized in this album.
I added the description “(Beyond ver.)” to the title, instead of “original” or “album ver.” I wanted to convey that the version included in the Beyond album is a special version, while the original of this song is in a standard jazz style. If I ever release a jazz album that is closer to the traditional style, I might add the description “original ver!”
It’s clear that Sunwoojunga’s music is always the result of a thoughtful process. No matter how personal the matrix, it resonates with all of us. We'll be delving into the shimmering hope offered by these tracks while eagerly anticipating the release of Part two. Are you with us?