Daily Non-K-pop Spotlight: “White Buzz” by Holy Hum
Okay – today’s daily indie pick is a little bit of a cheat. The frontman of Holy Hum, Andrew Lee, isn’t South Korean. He’s Korean-Canadian. Despite this, he’s worth every bit of your time and attention as other artists of Korean descent. He’s one of those artists that isn’t just “a musician” or “in a band.” Clocking in at just shy of 12 minutes, this song, “White Buzz,” proves his prowess as a composer of substantial talent.
This was written after his father passed away. It’s haunting. His vocals are solemnly and numbly delivered with a rootsy, earthy quality that endears so many listeners to folk artists. But he’s backed by haunting female vocal harmonies that swirl and wail over shimmering post-rock guitars and drums that sound like orchestral drums on a trap kit.
The track simmers and boils until the 4:30 mark, where the song begins to boil over into noisy, synthy, distorted anguish. It goes on like this for a full minute before launching into one of the noisiest, ugliest cries – all channeled through a furious guitar solo. This guitar solo spits you up and chews you out in a rage. You can feel his mental and emotional pain as he vents it all and lays it bare, eventually subsiding into a somber, melodic outro.
It’s a masterclass in storytelling and using music for emotional work.