4/10
Dal:um (KOR)
RIYL: Park Jiha, Mary Lattimore, String instruments, minimalism, Korean traditional music, Womex, storytelling, Glitterbeat Records
Dal:um is a musical duo based in Seoul, who challenge the sonic possibilities of Korea’s most well-known traditional string instruments: the gayageum and geomungo. Ethereal and otherworldly, Dal:um create a compelling soundworld that treasures subtle dynamics and the space between the notes.
Two musicians. Two weighty acoustic stringed instruments. A dialogue between traditional and experimental practices. A melding of both new possibilities and deeply travelled resonances.
Founded in 2018 by Ha Suyean (gayageum) and Hwang Hyeyoung (geomungo), Dal:um emerged from their shared exploration of Korean traditional music and a mutual desire to push the boundaries of their instruments. Their name, meaning, “keep pursuing something” in Korean, reflects their passion for music and the dialogue between their similar yet distinct instruments. While visually similar, the gayageum and geomungo each possess unique sonic qualities due to differences in size and string count. Dal:um’s album title, similar & different, encapsulates their musical ethos of exploring new sounds and visions through their instruments and personal backgrounds.
Suyean and Hyeyoung, both seasoned musicians since childhood, express complex emotions and stories through their compositions. Their music, characterized by refined minimalism, reflects influences from contemporary composition and Asian traditional painting’s dialogue between emptiness and fullness.
Silence and expression.
Contemporary and traditional.
Fullness and emptiness.
Similar and different.