South Korean indie rock band SE SO NEON have finally unveiled their debut album, <NOW>.
Led by Soyoon Hwang — known for her fierce solo work as So!YoON! — the trio explores a deeply introspective sonic terrain, blending lo-fi aesthetics, vintage tones, and bilingual lyricism. Sung primarily in Korean, <NOW> traverses blues, psychedelic rock, and synth-pop with raw emotion and atmospheric grit.
The title track 'Now' sets the tone: a bilingual slow-burn steeped in vulnerability, haunting echoes, and overdriven guitar riffs. Soyoon sings “what should I do now” with a soul-baring ache — a line that perfectly captures the album’s mood of reflection and rebirth.
The album emerged after a creative reset in New York City. Post-2023’s Episode1: Love, Soyoon was unsure about SE SO NEON’s next step. But long hours in the studio and a shift in surroundings helped her reconnect with music’s purpose. “That’s why the album title is <NOW>,” she shares. “After that New York experience, I felt hope.”
Nature — both literal and emotional — anchors the record. From tracks like ‘Twit Winter’ to ‘Eden’ and ‘Small Heart’, <NOW> captures the fleeting beauty of the present with a sound that feels at once expansive and grounded.
Soyoon’s signature guitarwork drives the album — unpredictable yet organic, echoing the landscapes that shaped her from Korea to Los Angeles. “I love nature — sky, sunshine,” she says. “<NOW> is about nature, because I’m from nature.”
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