Artist Name: HANS

Release Name - KIMYUNTAK

Release Date - Friday 25th March 2022

Genre - House, Electronic, Rap, Hip-Hop

Label - Independent

A SWEET MUSICAL DISCOURSE ON KOREAN IDENTITY, DISPLACEMENT, DISENCHANTMENT

Prolific electronic artist, producer and all-round musical whizz-kid HANS., continues to impress with his latest release, the mould-breaking genius 7-track EP KIMYUNTAK.

Listen - Be Grateful

Taking influence from his Kiwi and Korean roots, Hans. has been honing his musical abilities, cleverly blending the two and creating a sonic palette that is a sweet fusion of house, trap, downtempo, ambient vibes, experimental club, electronic, rap, and hip-hop.

“The single [‘Be Grateful’] is not only a breath of fresh air, it’s a gale-force wind – an indication of what is to come, and one likely to sweep you off your feet.” – HAPPY MAG

With Kimyuntak, swirling house melodies combine with potent 808’s as Hans. departs from the iconic lo-fi aesthetics of songs such as ‘Froyo’ ft. Clairo that put him on the global map. On Kimyuntak, Hans. offers a much harder-hitting and blunt approach to some of his most personal topics yet.

Made during New Zealand’s 2021 August lockdown, the project was an entirely online construct, with close friend, neighbour, and fellow producer Owen Rivers making beats until 5am, and Hans. waking up at 7am to pick up the pieces, every day for a month. Recorded in his home studio, with mixing and mastering completed by regular collaborator Ben Lawson in his Morningside studio, Hans. declares the whole process was “a surreal, yet perfect experience.”

The EP name ‘kimyuntak’ derives from the name ‘yuntak’ which Hans. was almost named at birth. Ultimately the artwork reflects Hans. embracing a form of himself that he could / might have been. Using this idea as a foundation, the project tackle’s themes of Korean identity, displacement and disenchantment with his writing constantly switching between English and mother tongue Korean.

Kimyuntak is the story of a young adult coming to terms with himself. From the bounce of intro and focus track ‘Nelele’ to the nonchalant singing of the line ‘It is what it is’ in the outro track ‘CLV’, an air of acceptance arises. There is neither good nor bad, there just is.

Explains Hans., “I set the tone with ‘Nelele’ being the intro song. It’s the first time I’ve ever fully written and performed a song in only Korean. The song itself samples a really old folk song that Korean wives would sing when their husbands died. The parallel to me as a westernized Korean is that I feel as though a certain part of my Korean identity is dead, having grown up in New Zealand.”

He elaborates, saying “I can never truly assimilate in Korea or fully relate to people my age who’ve spent their whole lives in Korea. But that’s ok to me. Me rapping in my westernized Korea accent is me coming to peace with who I am and not shying from it like I did in the past.” Hans.’ acceptance of who he is, and the fusion of English and Korean lyrics is taking his music into a new direction, with an air of heightened awareness cleverly intertwining with his boundless creativity and musicality. This in turn, reveals a lot more personality coming through his songs, and Hans. is currently enjoying a rise in prominence thanks to a series of cheeky, fun videos taking the local rap scene by storm with his combination of house-dance-chill tunes and signature nonchalant delivery.

First single ‘Be Grateful’ is a house and trap-inspired club banger, with an animated bounce and metronome-like tick that contrasts superbly with Hans.’ trademark deadpan phrasing. Accompanied by a light-hearted and comical foot-fetish themed video, Hans. made a deliberate move away from the more serious and introspective releases of the last couple of years. “I just wanted to make it a really funny video,” says Hans.

‘Capping’ ft. Michelle and ‘TT’ are songs that are harder-hitting, and for Hans were an opportunity for him to break out of his comfort zone in terms of rapping. “I rarely rap on trap beats, but it’s something I always wanted to do before I fully transition towards the house inspired music of ‘Nelele’ and ‘Be Grateful’, which I think I’ll continue with”, says Hans. Final track ‘CLV’ is an ode to Hans.’ more well-known lo-fi/chill style, as he states “it’s the closer for the project, and a reminder to myself of where I come from musically.” With releases constantly applauded, playlisted and resonant for the mix of fun yet heartfelt moments, Hans. continues to hold his own, carving out his niche in the local music industry.

Meanwhile, the international gaze is also focusing in on this fresh and cheeky front-runner making waves at the heart of a flourishing global scene of Asian artists. Without a shadow of a doubt, Hans. is one of the best in the new rising tide of stand-out creatives in New Zealand’s progressive underground rap and electronic culture.

LISTEN TO / PURCHASE KIMYUNTAK HERE

FOLLOW HANS. via INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

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