I originally found DOKKAEBI through their music video on Poclanos’ YouTube channel. I saved their first release 1 to listen to later. Then I received an email from yoorae about their second album, released on October 20, only a little over a month after the first. On Spotify and Bugs, the releases are tagged as EPs. Regardless if they’re albums or EPs, these are densely packed experiences.
2: Labyrinth is inspired by Hwang Byung-ki’s “Migung.” I previewed the track, and it’s definitely unsettling. I can hear how Hwang Byung-ki influenced DOKKABEI’s performance of the four-verse EP. The 31 minutes of music are an intense experience and require full attention.
From DOKKAEBI’s press release, each verse has a purpose.
Verse 1 summons the spirit through long resonance
Verse 2 moves through joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure
Verse 3 reads aloud the day’s newspaper as a lens into human affairs
Verse 4 closes by chanting an incantation to send the spirit away
Titling Chapter 2 as the Labyrinth is a great teaser and explains what your experience will likely be. “Chapter 2, Verse 1” comes across as a minimalist experience, but pulls in styles like drone, experimental noise, trance, and Korean shamanism vocals. What’s more interesting is that 2: Labyrinth was improvised live on February 22, 2025. The two members come together in a compelling and strange sync to create an uncomfortable but engaging audio experience.
Deja, modular synthesist, and yoorae, vocalist, use their sound to create audio structures to surround you as you listen to the music. The drone and noise are the foundational structures, like grass that’s growing and dying in cycles as the verses move. They also create a lot of tension.
“Chapter 2, Verse 3,” the newspaper reading, comes across like a horror movie. The persistent background noise combined with yoorae’s aggressive reading is uncomfortable, but you’re forced to listen to the overlapping vocal lines, which are both gibberish and clear statements. DOKKAEBI’s sound manipulation is impressive. And as for “Chapter 2, Verse 4,” I think that’s best heard without any context. It’s the most dynamic song for sure.
2: Labyrinth isn’t an album or EP for everyone. I think if you like experimental music, drone, ambient, or trance music, you’ll find something to connect to quickly. For everyone else, DOKKABEI is an example of the wide spectrum of artistry that South Korea contains. This release is definitely strange, but it’s also addictive. I suggest that everyone listen to this album. It’s an unexpected surprise and could be one of the best releases in 2025.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.