Yaeji debuts feminine, minimalist electronic sound in EP

On Aug. 28, New York-based house producer and vocalist Yaeji released a single featuring primarily Korean lyrics and a catchy and consistent pop beat, offering surreal yet substantial advice such as, “Put the unexpected tomorrow/on the back of your hands/and apply it in a circular motion.” The cryptic lyrics are perfectly complemented by the accompanying video for “Last Breath,” which is both an exhibition of the track and a functional makeup tutorial.

In March, Yaeji release her eponymous debut EP on GODMODE, a music company that promotes “way-left artists.” Yaeji’s understated vocals feature conversational, yet persuasive personal lyrics that explore her Korean-American identity while retaining a relaxed, danceable quality. Her unique style of house is minimal, but packs a punch when required. Yaeji – EP has the shining distinction of containing zero bad tracks.

“Noonside,” a paradoxically chill account of waiting in line at the airport, eases the listener into the EP. Soft pops and muted synths evoke both boredom and anticipation. Next, “New York 93” utilizes repetitive refrains to explore the complexity of feeling displaced in one’s hometown. Yaeji’s ethereal tone and reverberated vocal stylings induce a trancelike state among listeners. “Feel It Out,” a fast-paced party track with emphatic rhythms and scattered synths, prompts listeners to embrace cross-cultural experiences reminiscent of Yaeji’s own. “Guap,” a rework of the Mall Grab original, is nearly comical with its aggressive lyric about club attire, “All black, from head to toe/You can’t see me inside the club.” The remix is a highlight of the collection. It feels like an immersive sonic experience complete with pounding, sliding synths and acid undertones. “Full of It,” the final track on the album, hits home with Yaeji’s defiant cry of: “Distant like ignorance/Resistance, full of it.” Coupled with a powerful driving beat, Yaeji’s last word is a promise of exciting work to come.

This overtly feminine expression represents exactly what the electronic music scene needs at the current moment. Currently, female producers and DJs are experiencing prominence and camaraderie through collectives such as Discwoman in New York and SISTER in Los Angeles. Workshops such as Intersessions exist for the sole purpose of providing women and individuals on the LGBTQ+ spectrum access to equipment and knowledge critical to electronic music production. At the same time, wildly successful members of the all-male Giegling collective selectively ignored the sexist ideals of DJ Konstantin, one of their members, until a quote in which he asserted male DJs’ superiority to female DJs was published this June in the German magazine Groove. Women DJs and producers are now and have always been creative selectors and innovators.

In the face of opposition, Yaeji and her peers prove female expression in all of its breadth has a place in the realm of electronic music.

If you like what you hear, then you’re in luck. Yaeji will be co-headlining a show presented by Directory and Leisure Sports Records in Downtown this Friday. Do yourself a favor and dance with this dynamic new producer live and in person.

Eliza Moley is a senior majoring in cinema & media studies and communication. She is also the general manager of KXSC Radio. The rotating guest column, “KXSC Radio,” runs Thursdays.