The Best of Humming Urban Stereo
A Beginner’s Guide to the Godfather of Bingsu Pop.
By Giacomo Lee, http://giacomolee.net/
Korean indie really began to find its identity in 2004, coincidentally the same year as Lee Jee-Reen began his eclectically electronic production outfit Humming Urban Stereo 허밍 어반 스테레오. In honour of their ten year anniversary, Humming Urban Stereo have released a greatest hits retrospective with a twist, May’s Reform release, which re-imagines their classic tracks with the aid of current k-pop artists such as G. NA and Narsha from Brown Eyed Girls 브라운 아이드 걸스 , and which is a nice introduction to a group with a rather hefty back catalogue.
To guide you through their decade’s worth of discography, I’ve selected ten tracks on Youtube and Soundcloud that best represent Humming, from singles and album tracks, to remixes and production work for other artists. It’s a must-hear for any fans of Korean indie or Korean electronica, or anyone into house and lounge music in general, or mutant muzak and acid jazz maybe, or bingsu pop and bossa nova et cetera et cetera. Ten years on, and Humming Urban have really done it all in their own unique and imitable fashion. Jump into their stereo system below.
Easy Come Easy Go (2010)
What better place to start than with this roller disco electropop, the most accessible of HUS’s many one-off singles between album releases?
Banana Shake (2005)
Album: Very Very Nice! and Short Cake
One of the band’s three signature tunes — the others of which you’ll find later — Banana Shake shows the band’s roots in the loungey ‘shibuya’ 渋谷系 aesthetic that defined Japanese indie in the 1990s, but on which Humming managed to make their own mark in no time.
Rollercoaster (2013)
This compilation-only tune shows how far the band have come from Banana Shake, offering a stark contrast with Humming’s current love for freaky maximalism, sounding like Basement Jaxx stuck in a blender bound to fall off the table side any minute NOW..!
You That Day (2011)
You That Day 넌 그날 shows a softler, gentler side to Humming. I wish more slow Korean tracks sounded as luscious as this one-off collaboration with Korean drama actress Yoo In Na 유인나 .
Maem Maem (2013)
With compilation tracks, remixes and one-off singles aplenty, 2013 was a prolific year for HUS, with one of the highlights including this production for obscure k-poppers Bebop 비밥 . As you’ll hear, Maem Maem (맴맴 ) is the soundtrack for socialites and college girls getting ready for a brisk night out in Seoul, singing in the mirror and all that jazz over minxy maximalist mayhem.
Let’s Stay Together (2013)
The boy-girl vocals are warped up and squeezed to bits, the lyrics manage to mention Jennifer Lawrence, death on the operating table and even ‘spanking the monkey’, and yet Let’s Stay Together still manages to sound seriously fun and funky as it spins off a tight roller rink beat into 80s dancefloor heaven. This digital-only single was released as a follow-up of sorts to the band’s 2012 album Sparkle.
Hawaiian Couple (YMCK Mix) (2007)
Album: Baby Love
Of all their tunes, Hawaiian Couple is probably the best known by the majority of South Koreans and hallyu fans due to its inclusion on the soundtrack of Korean romcom My Love. I find it a little saccharine though to be honest, and it probably sold so well due to how bland it was compared to the rest of the Humming back catalogue. This 8-bit remix by cult Japanese chiptune trio YMCK ワイエムシーケー though is a treat, and manages to mix pop with electronics in the same way the Korean group do so effortlessly on a regular basis. Find a newer version on Reform featuring Brown Bunny and Ashley from Ladies’ Code.
I, Tears (2013)
Shina-E is a regular Humming Urban vocalist who last year released solo EP Adieu, Bleu, which featured this sparkling HUS remix on the tracklist.
Scully Doesn’t Know (2005)
Album: Very Very Nice! and Short Cake
Moving on from remixes, let’s take a look at the song which has been most re-recorded by the group, the beloved Scully Doesn’t Know, of which you can find an English version, a new 2014 re-recording featuring G. NA on Reform, along with a male ‘answer’ follow-up called Mulder Does Know. Yep, this is probably the best X-Files love song you’ve never heard of.
Abuse Girl (2006)
Album: Purple Drop
This is the album track that should have been a single, a dancefloor killer with fangs that shows how HUS are always willing to mess around with their usually carefree & punch-drunk template.
Giacomo Lee is a London author whose writing has been featured on Boing Boing, io9 & Chincha. Read his novel Funereal through iBooks on Apple iTunes, and Kindle & paperback on Amazon UK, and the Amazon US store. For free review copies, please contact the publisher at Signal 8 Press.
