▲ The picture of Jannabi after performing in KT&G Sangsangmadang Live Hall. Provided by static.ebs.co.kr.

“The nights drunken in white... the moonlight does not know me but shines on me as if it sympathizes with my faltering steps...” This is not a poem, but a quote from the song “Moon” by the artist Jannabi. The powerful, almost defiant voice that has a tinge of sadness pulls the audience into their world. Before they know it, listeners are walking next to the artist along a forlorn street, as the winter moon illuminates serenely above. Through the music, the audience and the artist become one as they unravel the skein of emotions woven in the lyrics.

 
Jannabi is an indie band of three male members. The group named itself Jannabi, which means “monkey” in Korean, because they were all born in 1992, the Year of the Monkey. The group was not widely known to the public at first as they moved from Hongdae to Shinchon from time to time, singing songs on the street with small groups of people who knew how to appreciate their songs.
 
In 2013, Jannabi was finally provided with a chance to perform in front of a massive audience through the popular singing competition series, Superstar K. Although the members failed to win first prize, their songs were a major hit and were shared nationwide. The group still endeavors to create its own musical genre, resulting in the making of four albums which all received favorable responses from the public.
 
The group is well known to its fans for composing songs that convey a unique musical style which is a complex mixture of pop, ballad, and rock music. It might seem confusing and almost impossible to blend the three types of music together without destroying the different, exclusive beauty that each genre embraces. Yet when people hear their songs, they realize that as the music goes on, those cacophonies of different elements find their way into the proper places, culminating in a beautiful, harmonious melody.
 
   
▲ Jannabi’s second album Bongchumeulchunae. Provided by 2.bp.blogspot.com.
For one, in the song “Bongchumeulchunae,” which means “poll dancing,” the singer’s voice and the guitar bring out powerful notes. However, the sound of the piano in the background works to soothe the song from being too energetic and forceful. The piano then brings out a jazz-like sticky melody which holds the notes from falling apart. Listening to it is like witnessing a new dimension of music, finding its unique, ideal sound.
 
Nonetheless, the real strength of Jannabi that makes it exclusive amongst the indie bands is within the lyrics—the verses do not give meaningless consolation or empty promises of a better tomorrow. Rather, they try to describe the present feelings of loneliness that youths may face in relationships. The frank confessions of pain, which are masterfully depicted through poetic lines, lead people to think that the songs do not judge their lives, but try to build a genuine bond of sympathy as the group and the audience accept and face the pain together.
 
The present-day world is a compilation of severed relationships and youths are trapped in calculative associations. To those with broken hearts, Jannabi holds out its hands as the songs shepherd the minds of restless, vagabond souls. Through the music, listeners are given a chance to escape their reality and are guided to a world where they no longer have to hide their deep loneliness. Jannabi’s voice is not just ordinary music—it is a spokesman of people’s genuine feelings and a three-minute long exit from a world of pretense.
저작권자 © The Granite Tower 무단전재 및 재배포 금지