The Burning City - 오칠 (OHCHILL)
4 years since their last EP, OHCHILL come back with a familiar yet new tune.
The Burning City is unlike OHCHILL’s past discography, yet alike in so many ways. The first half of the album has a similar sound to Oh, Two Animals, their previous EP released in 2019- with classic alternative rock, hardcore drums, and punk influences.
‘After’ opens the album for us, with a slow guitar that prepares the accustomed listeners to the alternative sound of OHCHILL. ‘Wheres My Kitty’ is the star highlight for the fans who are looking for old in the new, with a more punk vibe closer to Oh, Two Animals and a more rough sound. ‘The Grey Area’ shares this tune as well, with what feels like a song that is always rising yet never peaks; but feels complete somehow.
‘D-57’ is also comparable to ‘쿠마’ (Kuma), which creates a feeling of longevity and yearning for the past. Yoon Jun-hong, guitarist and vocalist for the group described it as “not a song that's OHCHILL-like when you listen to it, but it's definitely the emotions and tendencies that we have within us”.
Kim Seol, who largely has been on drums for the majority of the groups history shines bright in the album as she sings the chorus of the title track ‘Something’s Wrong’ as the narrator of the burned city, the city in despair and isolation. “I want everyone to imagine being left alone in this world. I think that when you are left alone, you will realize who you miss the most, what you want to eat the most, what you regret the most, how you would like to live if you could turn back time, and how precious and happy those days were”.
The album was created at the start of the pandemic as well, with the concept of living in the present and enjoying the time we have now together. The new style of the album, gave way to new ways to create the music as well. In an interview with Genie, Yoon highlighted how he wanted to “devote himself to creating a more experimental and subjective sound in this album”.
But you find near the middle of the album, starting with songs like ‘D-57’, have a shoegaze-like feel. It reminds me a bit of the experimental nature of Music from Before the Storm by Daughter with a mix of strewn-out guitar strings and a sadder vibe compared to the rest of the album.
‘Wheres My Kitty’ is the star highlight for the fans who are looking for old in the new, with a more punk vibe closer to Oh, Two Animals and a more rough sound. ‘The Grey Area’ shares this tune as well, with what feels like a song that is always rising yet never peaks; but feels complete somehow.
The Burning City is an album I would recommend for those getting into OHCHILL, as it has an approachable yet unique way of showing their range in vocals, style, and experimentation in both Korean and English, compared to older singles and EP’s.
You can find The Burning City as well as OHCHILL’s other music on Spotify, Apple Music, Genie, and YouTube, with the album coming to BandCamp soon as well.