It’s been a long time since I’ve heard Trampauline. The last album, MARGINAL, was a unique experience inside all the different music from that year. In some ways, it felt like a closure for the band as inactivity set in. What started as Cha Hyosun‘s solo project – and turned into a trio – returned to solo existence. I thought she transitioned into some other industry or work, but according to her Spotify profile, she moved to the UK in 2018.
This return with The Shard Will Find Me is really interesting. Because at the core foundations, it hasn’t moved too far from the Trampauline of old. But it’s also evolved and changed into something different. It’s essentially listening to an artist who creates from the same origin but adds new experiences to the music.
“Jealousy 31°C” is basically Trampauline saying hi to old fans. It’s a connection between MARGINAL and The Shard Will Find Me and I like how seamless it sounds.
She introduces a new experience with “L.O.T.T.E.R.Y” by starting with a familiar introduction and then adding a narration before the first chorus. It sounds natural to Trampauline as she filters and adjusts it to match the song’s tempo. It’s another small variation from past tracks.
“Marvelyn, Marvellously Delicious” sounds like Trampauline got this tagline and tried to manipulate it into a song. It’s more of a transition song instead of a standalone single but still a dangerously addictive track.
Closing the EP is “The City You Called Your Own.” This is the full circle of this new Trampauline journey. I don’t think she’s ever going to toss her past works. Instead, it’s a presentation of where she is now as a musician and artist. The Shard Will Find Me is like three chapters ahead in her artistic story. We didn’t hear the releases in between but we’re not meant to.
I really hope there’s a long full length because there is so much open space in her universe.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.