Die koreanische Multiinstrumentalistin Park Jiha bringt Ende Februar ihr drittes Soloalbum heraus. “The Gleam”, dessen Konzept in Teilen auf eine Performance in einem südkoreanischen Museum zurückgeht, wurde wie schon der Vorgänger “Piri” rein solo eingespielt, Yihas Instrumentarium umfasst die der Oboen verwandte und zuletzt titelgebende Piri, die auf dem Cover abgebildete Mundorgel namens Saenghwang, das koreanische Hackbrett Yanggeum und Glockenspiel. Inspiriert wurde die Musik von der Wahrnehmung des Lichts in unterschiedlicher Intensität und verschiedenen Kontexten. “The Gleam” erscheint Ende des Monats als LP, CD und Download bei Glitterbeat.

The luminous 3rd album from the acclaimed Korean multi-instrumentalist and composer. A gorgeous meditation on the intersection of music and light. [...] How often do we consider light? We revel in the soft wonder of a sunrise or the majesty of a glorious sunset, but all through the day its quality and texture is continually changing, second by second, in ways we rarely register. That beauty is the inspiration for The Gleam, the third album from Korean composer and instrumentalist Park Jiha. [...] Like its predecessor, Philos, The Gleam is a completely solo work, all the music composed and played by Park Jiha on the piri, a type of oboe, the saenghwang, a mouth organ (shown on the album cover art), the hammered dulcimer known as the yanggeum, and glockenspiel.

There’s a stark clarity to the sound, yet it’s never spare or empty. There’s a searching warmth to what she does. It’s minimal without being minimalist, occasionally presenting itself with the formality of traditional Korean music that is her background, although she feels that the distance she’s put between herself and that teaching is “really what made my music what it is now.” At other times her playing is an improvisation that spirals free into the sky. It all comes together into a beautiful whole and it always flows with a natural rhythm. Like everything, it breathes. [...] A chance for it to breathe and for the light to shine, growing from a glimmer. The Gleam shimmers and dazzles. Let it carry you.” (Glitterbeat)

“The inspiration for this album originates from the concept of light – in its different forms, and in the way in which it interacts with us throughout the different parts of the day. It takes a certain focus to appreciate the textures and emotions light can bring. [...] Changing environments and feelings are expressed throughout the album, conjuring atmospheres from the crack of dawn to nightfall. Part of ‘The Gleam’ project was conceived for a special performance in the Meditation Hall created by Ando Tadao at Museum San in Wonju, Korea. Light is an integral part of the architecture of this space. Whilst feelings are instantly captured, the constant movements within, allow us the sensations of observing the unreachable.

For the meditative performance we had there, sound was a way to carry the light further giving it a sensation of being expressed aurally. This resulted in the realisation of the final track of this album, ‘Temporary Inertia’. Light is in a constant race towards time. Repetitive, yet constant, it only leaves temporary feelings behind. This being exactly what I want to picture for my own music.” (Park Jiha)

Foto © studio gut