Reggae recordings made in Korea released in Denmark

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 08:36

Multicultural Community

Reggae recordings made in Korea released in Denmark

Posted : 2022-10-24 17:26

Updated : 2022-11-01 10:29

The cover image for Philip K's "Blood in the Sand" / Courtesy of Philip K

By Jon Dunbar

Danish reggae singer Philip K left Korea five years ago, but he has finally released a new album with many songs recorded while still living here.

In August this year, he released the 11-song album, "Blood in the Sand."

"Actually, we already had more than enough finished material by the end of 2016, when I was still living in Seoul," he told The Korea Times. "My last year in Korea was spent producing Korean singles and releasing them, one by one."

He originally began recording seven songs on the album while living in Seoul from 2013 to 2017 with his wife, who was posted here as a diplomat, and their two teenage children. He first started working on the songs in a music room he set up in their apartment as his workspace, and by the time he left he was getting pretty productive.

Danish reggae singer Philip K / Courtesy of Martei Korley

It was in that space where he came up with the songs, "Children Don't You Play on Earth" and "Be with You." He's already released Korean versions of both songs for the Korean market, but has been sitting on the English originals ever since.

None of the Korean versions are included on this album, which Philip pointed out is aimed at the domestic market in Europe, although he is considering putting out a Korean edition of the album someday.

Also beginning production in Philip's Seoul apartment are four other songs on the album: "I Wonder," "Freedom," "You Walked Away," "Carried Us Beyond" and the title track, "Blood in the Sand." He said the title track has "become freshly relevant in light of the Ukraine conflict."

Also recorded in the apartment were "Show Some Love" and "All I Know," which were released together earlier this year. He recorded a few Korean-language songs, including "A Good Time" in collaboration with members of the Korean ska band, Kingston Rudieska.

Philip K performs with Ska 4 Ensemble at All That Jazz in Itaewon, Nov. 30, 2014. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

"It took me quite a while to fully understand why it would be impossible to form a band in Seoul, with myself as the lead vocalist," he said. "I was living as a diplomat spouse, and there was always an end date for my stay in Korea. For that reason, local musicians were naturally reluctant to invest time and energy in a long-term relationship. It was equally easy to accomplish short-term projects, and I found working with my friends in Kingston Rudieska to be very satisfying."

He added that he still has three more songs recorded in Korea and finished but still unreleased.

"Since returning to Denmark I have been busy working, while trying to figure out a way to restart my music career," he said. "In 2019, I had assembled a backing band and started playing some shows. Then COVID-19 put a stop to that in early 2020."

The tracks on the new album were all mixed by Yo Akim, Philip's old friend back in Denmark who went to high school together with him. They have played in bands together in the past, including the early Danish reggae group, Bass and Trouble, which was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

While Philip was away in Korea, they got into the habit of sending each other recordings. Akim would send Philip "riddims" (reggae instrumentals) and Philip would write vocals and send the recorded tracks back.

Akim provided most of the instrumentals on the album, other than some of the horn section provided by Kingston Rudieska members, and ukulele on "Be with You" by Tobias Elof, who visited Philip in Seoul while on a five-month Asia tour in 2017.

"It's modern roots reggae," Philip said of the finished product, "As we ―producer Yo Akim and myself ― feel it should sound in 2022. In that regard, we are in opposition to the sound of reggae actually coming out these years, which is either very retro, very aggressively dancehall-oriented or very pop-angled."

Philip last visited Korea in September 2018. "We have no set plans, but hope to visit again in the future," he said. "We miss Korea very much, and we enjoyed every minute living in Seoul."

Visit philipkofficial.bandcamp.com to listen to "Blood in the Sand."

jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr