Even though it felt like forever, the four weeks of January are over, which means we’re back with a new K-Indie chart! Let’s take a look at the new top 10 to see which artists made the cut.
Choi Yu Ree stays strong on number 1 with her album ‘746’. We reviewed that one last month, you can read about it here.
There are a lot of newcomers and old familiars on the list. MRCH is a new name for the top 10. Her album ‘The Earth’ came out in December 24 and snagged the third spot.
Other newcomers are Kim Feelsun with ‘Feelsun.zip’, Heo Hoy Kyung with her new album ‘Remembering’ and MeloMance with their 2016 EP ‘Romantic’.
The Poles with their EP ‘Anomalies in the oddity space’ are familiar faces. They were on the chart in July 2024 as well. The same goes for Far East Asian Tigers, they are returning with their ‘A Tiger’s Dream’.
MRCH – The Earth
MRCH released her EP ‘The Earth’ mid-December. This is an indie rock album with five tracks.
The first of two title tracks is ‘Human Mechanism’ which displays her strong vocal power, and that in combination with the killer guitars makes for a fantastic combo. I love the creative direction of the music video.
‘Though we have the earth’ is another stunning rock track with some lovely vocal layering in the bridge and a really nice soft guitar outro. I’m really enjoying this particular lyric: “I’m drawing a star that won’t fall; I yearn for the Milky Way and dream of moonlight”.
‘Nostalgia’ is the second title track. This has some retro vibes to it which makes it a cool addition to the EP.
‘Snowstorm’ is a ballad that could come right out of a traditional K-drama. I am in love with the choice of instrumentals and the way that the vocal feels very forward in some verses.
The closing track is the live version of ‘Human mechanism’.
You can find the EP on Spotify here.
Kim Feelsun – Feelsun.zip
This is an anthology of some of her most popular tracks. If you’ve never heard any of her tracks, I would definitely suggest this album as a perfect starting point to discover her music, her soulful timbre and her meaningful lyrics.
You can find the album on Spotify here.
Heo Hoy Kyung – Remembering
Heo Hoy Kyung is back with her new folk EP ‘Remembering’. This is her first EP release since her fantastic album ‘Memoirs’ from 2022. This line from the album description is so pretty: “This album is like a note that was kept in the pocket of a coat that I used to wear often.”
‘Blame’ is a stunning ballad with strings and the track has moments where the music swells that just leaves you with this intense emotion.
The following track ‘Sleep at last’ has a wonderful acoustic guitar in the instrumentation. I am obsessed with the vocal layering of the ‘oohs’. The instrumental break is just fantastic.
‘Although in tears’ is an interesting track. The tone and musicality of the song feels playful and cheerful in the beginning, but the lyrics are all about crying for a long time. The whistle is another playful addition. It’s a very cool dichotomy. ‘Haven’t Ever?’ continues with the lighter tone.
Her title track ‘Remembering’ also came out with a music video. Prepare to sob.
You can listen to the album on Spotify here.
