Bandits guidelines southeastern Korea's underground music scene

By Jon Dunbar

If there is a band in Korea taking part in something to do with math, emo, goth or post-punk, and it has overseas members, there is a good likelihood considered one of them is Ali, a British Iranian 14-year resident of Korea who lives in Busan.

Considered one of his major initiatives as of late is Bandits, a duo taking part in music that is “a bit darkish and a bit noisy however enjoyable too.”

The band title meets the Ali commonplace: a plural noun, identical to Colors, Visuals, Machines, Ghosts, Emperors and Mountains, all bands of which he is been a key member.

Ali can be a member of electro-post-punk band Cloud Underground, and he just lately wrapped up stints taking part in in goth bands Lucy Valentine and Goths on the Seaside, though you possibly can inform he did not have a hand in naming any of these.

For Bandits, he mentioned he bought the title from a poster. “Initially I noticed a poster promoting a lecture about ‘Contextual Bandits’ so we thought of that for some time however inevitably shortened it to Bandits,” he mentioned.

On this band, Ali groups up with Andy, a longtime Ulsan resident who has performed in Mood Mood, an Ulsan rock band, and Misplaced Boys who did nation/bluegrass-style covers of pop songs.

“We met after I lived in Ulsan and every needed to apply taking part in an instrument we weren’t completely accustomed to in an informal method,” Ali mentioned. “Issues clicked and we went from there.”

They turned a duo for “no cause, simply who was out there for apply,” Ali mentioned, with Ali taking part in guitar and Andy on drums.

He added they sometimes play with a bassist as of late, Marnus of the Busan band Daisy Gun, who combined Bandits’ debut EP, “Nowhere,” launched June 1.

The duvet artwork for “Nowhere,” Bandits’ first launched recording / Courtesy of Bandits

The album presents 5 tracks that nail Ali’s promise of darkish however enjoyable, impressed by various, storage and post-punk.

Within the music “No One, Nowhere,” Ali sings about dwelling within the countryside for 3 years throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, “and really having a good time till I spotted I wanted to rejoin the world by getting out extra and seeing folks,” he mentioned.

He added that “65 Days of Aquatic” is about being misplaced at sea for a very long time, impressed by the novel “Lifetime of Pi” in addition to folks’s real-life experiences. The music title is a nod to the British band 65daysofstatic.

Ali supplies many of the vocals on the album in English, with some Farsi lyrics in “Be Good,” a music he borrowed from his earlier band, Machines. There are additionally visitor vocals from members of Machines and Mountains in addition to Daisy Gun.

“We’re actually proud of the way it got here out. Glorious mixing and mastering work, guitars and drums sound massive and it makes for a very good earphone hear due to the layers of sound we included,” Ali mentioned. “It was my first time taking part in guitar on a report and being the one singer and for that first effort I’m fairly happy however I hope to enhance for the subsequent time too. I imagine Andy would say comparable about his drumming efficiency as nicely.”

Bandits performs in Busan’s Basement, July 15, 2023. Courtesy of Niall Ruddy

With members from Busan and Ulsan, Bandits are repping the “Buulgyeong Megacity.”

“Busan has a smaller — however rising quickly — scene than Seoul however no worse for high quality,” Ali mentioned of his metropolis. “To me, it seems to have a better group and a bigger mixture of genres taking part in collectively. There’s additionally an awesome side of getting venues like Ovantgarde and HQ/Basement that strive their hardest to usher in bands from throughout the nation. Most weekends you’ll see contemporary bands from throughout.”

Concerning Ulsan’s scene, he mentioned it is smaller however has its personal issues happening.

“Most people who find themselves there have been taking part in music for a few years and in several configurations. There’s an awesome venue there referred to as The Royal Anchor that has existed for a really very long time,” Ali mentioned. “I believe (only a guess right here) that the principle concern with Ulsan is that it solely has a handful of universities and thus there’s a smaller variety of teenagers who would possibly kind bands.”

For native bands there, he mentioned two standouts are the rock band Zero Zero and the metallic band Pushfix.

Though the music scene is targeted on the most important cities, Ali says there are more and more extra folks in smaller cities who wish to see stay music nearer to dwelling, and the nation provides much more stops for touring bands than it did beforehand.

“As for taking part in across the nation I believe one might tour for per week and a half nonstop as of late,” he mentioned. “Most cities, even small ones, have a venue and that’s an awesome factor to have. Construct it and other people will come.”

That mentioned, he nonetheless leaves port in Busan and comes as much as Seoul quite a bit. “I nonetheless benefit from the commute, god bless the KTX and all who trip inside her,” he mentioned. “I’ve at all times had a finger in each cities.”

Ali shall be in Seoul later this month for Block Social gathering, a music and performing arts competition taking place in central Seoul’s Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan neighborhoods on Sept. 21 and 22. Bandits is a part of the “Busan contingent,” which additionally consists of Daisy Gun, Soumbalgwang, Gino Brann and Seong-hyeon.

Bandits performs at Pet Sounds at midnight on the primary night time, and the next midnight, Ali will seem once more with Cloud Underground.

“Actually wanting ahead to Block Social gathering,” Ali mentioned. “It’ll be my first time attending in addition to taking part in — I hope to have a good time. Jamie and his crew have achieved stellar work placing this collectively and together with not solely smaller acts from the Korean underground music scene, but additionally expat bands who not often, if ever, get invited to play festivals in Korea.”

Bandits additionally has exhibits scheduled for Oct. 5 in Daegu and Oct. 19 in Daejeon.

Go to banditssk.bandcamp.com to take heed to the EP.