숨[suːm] | Neo Shinbanggok

숨[suːm] was formed in 2007 by two Korean traditional musicians with the ambitious aim of starting a new era of Korean traditional music that combines the sensory experience of musical with lessons learned from modern life. Foundering, member Jiha Park admits, “I like Korean traditional music, but when I play it I feel a little weird because I don’t live in that time, a long time ago. I live now, in the 21st century, so I want to make my own music.” To reach that goal they experiment with melody and rhythm and adapt traditional techniques to their needs. Park plays the Piri(a bamboo oboe), the Yanggeum(a dulcimer) and the Saenghwang(a pipe organ played as a wind instrument), while Jungmin Seo uses the unusual Gayageum, a 25-string zither. The group’s music is not limited by any particular notes, and musical phrases are adapted to the each member’s individual breathing capacity. The group received an enthusiastic response to their 2013 appearance at WOMEX in Cardiff, Wales, and at the American showcase SXSW in Austin, Texas, in 2015.