Interview: Jaehyun Kim of Orey Eyed Talks About His New EP "The Last Flight to You"
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“With these influences and also the need to share my feelings through sounds, Orey Eyed started out as my latest attempt at sharing my creations with the world.”
Congratulations on the completion and release of your debut EP "The Last Flight to You". Tell us about your creative process for the project's development and what inspired you as you were working on its three tracks.
First of all, thank you, I'm glad to see all the positive responses to the EP! Initially all three songs were part of a bigger project, but the plan was still vague at the moment.
Writing new tracks and exploring sounds for this new project, I wanted to make a full length LP right from the start. But as I proceeded, the sound palette expanded and shifted so much that it didn't make sense to group all of the tracks into a singular album. So I made a list of early tracks and demos of mine, mostly heavy on synth-pop and dance music influence, and then released this EP as a result.
Inspirations for this EP came from everywhere: films I've watched, trip to Osaka back in 2017, relationship, etc. I think they all accumulated to a certain sonic atmosphere the EP has.
Were there additional songs that you recorded for the EP but decided not to include? If so, why?
There were alot of half-finished demos and ideas that I've worked on for this EP, but only three proper unreleased songs. One was called "Icarus", not included because it was more of an indie rock track than synth pop. Also it had quite explicit and private lyrics, and I wanted to keep it a secret song. Other ones were titled "If You're Scared" and "Long Hair", also didn't fit in the EP, but might rework and include them in the upcoming LP!
When initially did you start creating music, who influenced your artistry, and at what point did you decide to take it to the next level with the project Orey Eyed?
I played guitar in an after-school class in elementary, and also jammed with my best friend back then, Aaron, in his apartment. While I did try to write my own melody line or chord progression at the time, I didn't know how to produce properly until 2019.
Hearing Avicii on the radio was like a breath of fresh air for me, and the desire to recreate synth leads I've heard was the major drive for me when I started producing. My earliest tracks were made on a free online DAW, and were mostly just poorly executed attempts at copying progressive house tracks.
Later on I got into different genres, with my favorites being acts like Perfume Genius, Lala Lala, The 1975, Chairlift, Dominic Fike, Flume, Lucid Fall, etc. Basically just too many influences and too many favorite artists, so I can't really define my taste now, it's just a vague feeling. On top of all, being a big fan of Linkin Park since my cousin played Meteora on a car ride when I was younger, blending together genres - just like LP did - to create something engaging was my goal, too.
With these influences and also the need to share my feelings through sounds, Orey Eyed started out as my latest attempt at sharing my creations with the world. Yearning for a fresh start for the new year was also why this project was made.
What can you tell us about the full length album that you are working on? Do you have a working title for it?
Sure, the album is starting to take shape. I'm not sure if I want to reveal the working title yet, but it does have title and artwork ready for the sake of artistic concept.
The album will be released around this summer if everything goes as planned, and will include collaborations with other artist(s), too.
How would you describe the music scene in Yongin-si, especially for emerging artists and producers? Is there a community for music creators to connect with each other, meet new fans, and perform live?
Yongin-si isn't necessarily a vibrant city when it comes to the music scene, at least not in the genres I'm invested in. Seoul is nearby and definitely has a better scene, but I found it easier to find musical communities elsewhere in countries where the type of music I enjoy and make is bigger. However my music got influenced by some of my friends for sure. Some of them made mixtapes for me when I was younger, and I've briefly been part of a pop cover band in my highschool, too.
What are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2024?
I would love to release the LP as planned. Might release it on vinyl too. Also playing live shows is on my list.
In general I would just love to create more, reach out to people from around the world, and see how it turns out to be!
Stream and Share “The Last Flight to You”: Spotify | Bandcamp