Clazziquai

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Clazziquai
Origin Korea
Genre(s) electronic music, house, jazz, groove
Years active 2001-present
Label(s) Fluxus music
Website Official Site
Members
DJ Clazzi
Choi Horan
Alex Chu

Clazziquai (Hangul: 클래지콰이; Classic+Jazz+Groove) is a Korean fusion band that combines several genres including electronic music, acid jazz and house. The group's first short unofficial albums were released online in 2001, spreading its music through words of “netizens,” who positively received the group's unique music. They remained underground until the release of their first album Instant Pig in 2004, selling over 80,000 copies[citation needed]. Since then, their music has been used in various CFs and movies, and has given them the chance to perform at various events.[1]

Clazziquai's fame increased greatly after the success of My Lovely Samsoon, a 2005 Korean drama that received over a 50% share by the end of its run. Clazziquai contributed two songs on its soundtrack: "Be My Love" and "She Is", the former of which became the show's theme song. The show's popularity brought the group increased media and public attention. The group won an award at the MNET KM Music Video Festival for "Best Soundtrack", and has also been the most nominated group at the Korean Popular Music Awards II(2회), winning “Artist of the Year” and “Best Pop”.

Since then, they have released a second album Color your soul and its remixed version Pinch your soul in 2005, and released their third in June 2007, entitled The Love Child of the Century. The group's unconventional style has proven popular enough to have the group widen their focus to other countries, signing a contract with avex trax in 2005, in addition to gaining a licensed album in Taiwan. They have contributed to works by Japanese artists Fantastic Plastic Machine and m-flo.

Contents

[edit] Members

  • DJ Clazzi (DJ 클래지, composing, mixing, producing) Real name: 김성훈 (Kim Sung Hoon)
  • Christina Choi Horan (호란, vocal) Real name: 최수진(Soo Jin Choi)
  • Alex Chu (알렉스, vocal) Real name: 추헌곤 (Hun Gon Chu)

[edit] History

[edit] Formation of Clazziquai (2001)

Kim Sung-hoon, also known as DJ Clazzi, has been described as "a magician at synthesizing different sounds in music into creating one unique new genre".[2] Kim graduated from Capilano College, and continued his study at CDIS (Center for Digital Image). After his graduation, he worked as a web designer, uploading his music online in his leisure time. Eventually, netizens discovered his music and were drawn to its experimental nature, which is the reason why Clazziquai was initially labelled a "project group"[3]; in other words, it was meant to be a temporary partnership made for a specific music project, experimenting with music in order to create a more distinguished sound. Although this implied that Clazziquai would not exist long-term, this group has explained that their partnership was created for music, and thus they continue to exist[citation needed].

Korean Canadian Alex chu and Christina Choi, were initially acquaintances with Clazzi and participated vocally on the first three short and experimental albums released online, named [gray], [red], and [retro]. Due to the positive attention received from netizens, what has stated out as a pleasure for DJ CLazzi led to Clazziquai releasing its first official album, Instant Pig.[4]

Alex and Horan(Christina) are not sibilings. The confusion was aroused because Alex's sister is also called Christina.

[edit] Instant Pig (2004)

Released in 2004, this album has amazed the experts who regarded Clazziquai as the representative band that created a new “Korean Electronica” genre. Over 5 songs from this single album have been used in 6 CFs, proving its success in gaining popularity as an unconventional genre.[5]
Novabossa, a twist of Bossanova as the title suggests, was used as OST for the movie “My boyfriend’s Romance(내 남자의 로맨스).” For this single album, over 30 songs were mixed and remixed inorder to create the best out of experimental sounds. The Debut song Sweety, showed both in MV and music its experimental approach to music. Webdesigner Clazzi’s work was also shown in its Music Video, featuring the “pig,” their mascot, as the experimental result that acts as a connector of love. The remixed English version of this song, in Japanese remix album released in 2005, had later been used as a CM song in world-famous soccer star David Beckham’s CF. In 3 weeks, ‘Sweety’ charted #10 in Tokyo J-Wave ‘Tokio Hot 100,’ and #7 in Zip FM Radio chart. Fantastic Plastic Machine has praised Clazziquai as a new group to lead “Hallyu.”[1]

 Music sample:

Novabossa: [1]

After Love [2]

Sweety(Original Version) [3]

Sweety (Cosmo Remix) [4]

Sweety Music Video [5]

[edit] Spotlight Through Korean Hit Drama OST

While preparing for 2nd album after their success in 1st album, Clazziquai did not let go of their unique and funky music. In the summer 2005, their music finally became nationally known through singing 2 OSTs, Be My Love and She Is, in Korean Hit Soap opera, ‘My Lovely Sam Soon.’ These two major theme songs have contributed to the drama’s popularity, raising up the drama's rating up to 50%.[6] Since then, their fanbase has grown explosively. Although this might have boosted up the group's popularity, Clazziquai says it is not purely beneficial, as they say some people only think of the hit drama 'My Lovely Samsoon' when they hear the name 'Clazziquai.' Although this has majorly raised up their popularity, Clazziquai hope that people's imagination towards their music would not decrease by this unexpected popularity.[5]

 Music sample:

Be My Love [6] She Is [7]




[edit] Color Your Soul (2005)

While the 1st album was more with an ‘arranged feel,’ this album brings more of a ‘raw’ feel, presenting a combination of electronic music and acoustic genre.[2]Although this album is funkier than the first album, it feels smoother by emphasis on acoustic mood. The title song, ‘Fill this Night,’ is buoyant and melodious, while ‘Choom(dance)’ features Horan’s dreamy voice. ‘Sunshine’ presents a local Samba rhythm, while ‘Color your soul’ is reminiscent of a more urban music.[5] In one week, Clazziquai’s second album charted #3 in Kyobo Hot track list, as well as #5 Hanter Album chart list. When asked if this album was purposefully made more for mainstream pop culture, Clazziquai says that they do not make their music according to popularity; they are making the music they want to produce.

 Music sample:

Fill this night [8]

Be My Love(English Version.-House Remix) [9]

Choom(춤) [10]

Sunshine [11]

Color Your Soul Review+Soundtracks (Including M/V “Fill this night”) [12]

[edit] Growing Worldwide

Similar to initial promotion of their music through means of internet, their music became greatly popular online among world music lovers including Asians as well as international audiences. Online music lovers have created blogs and written reviews about this group. Alongside the free market of internet, Clazziquai has widened its music from Korea to Asian market, already releasing a mini-album ‘Love Mode’ exclusively for Japan, as well as other Korean albums recreated for Japanese taste. Also, Clazziquai has gained license for their Albums in Taiwan. They also signed under Avex Trax in Japan, while still in contract under FLUXUS music. Clazziquai’s music, in accordance with “world music,” satisfies not only Koreans but any music lovers.

[edit] Reception

"Their music is like a cocktail; you cannot put them into one genre, but put together, they create a unique taste that is ever changing and tasty." [5]

"Clazziquai presents Lounge music with Electronic music background." [7]

"Often, Jazz Bossanova and House are hard to mix together, but Clazziquai has done them, and this is really creating a new music," says Engineer Yong-sup Lee.

Not only was Clazziquai skillful in mixing, but they also have covered the weakness of the often boring approach to music as an acid jazz or house genre by using distinct yet easily-remembered melody lines, which adds to the usual chill-out lounge music. [8] Their music, critics say, is significant in that they became so popular and known despite their unusual genre.
Keeping up with the trend of “World music,” Clazziquai’s music has grown rapidly with the help of the internet as the medium. They have already released a third album, Love Child of the Century, promising beforehand for it to be not merely the follow-up album for their previous one, but another distinct and tasty album with changed approach to music.
They have received two awards in Korean popular music award, which is known for granting its award to musicians without considering their popularity. This concludes that Clazziquai not only has popularity, but also their uniqueness proven by others. “Nowadays," DJ Clazzi says, "Young people’s taste of music changes so rapidly in short time. I think that is why our music, which also changes in accordance to young people’s taste, grabs their attention. An era of collective hit song or hit star absorbing the mainstream pop culture has ended; it is worldwidely proven to be so.”

[edit] Discography

[edit] Korean Albums

Album Cover Release Date Title
May 2004 Instant Pig
October 2005 Color Your Soul
June 2007 Love Child of the Century

[edit] Remix albums

Album Cover Date of release Title
November 2004 Clazziquai Project Remix - ZBAM
March 2006 Clazziquai Project 2nd Remix Album - Pinch Your Soul

[edit] Japanese albums

Album Cover Date of release Title
September 2005 Instant Pig
February 2006 Color Your Soul
August 2006 Love Mode

[edit] Awards

Years Awards
2005
  • MNET KM Music Video Festival: "Best Soundtrack"
  • Korean Popular Music Awards II(2회): “Artist of the Year”
  • Korean Popular Music Awards II(2회): “Best Pop”.
2007
  • 2007 M.NET/KM Music Festival: Best Mixed Group Award (Lover Boy)
  • 2007 M.NET/KM Music Festival: House/Electronic - Clazziquai (Lover Boy)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Tak, Jin-Hyun. Clazziquai, a new Hallyu Star"Sportainment", March 4, 2006.
  2. ^ a b Choi, Seung-hyun. "푸근하고 정감있게 변신했죠.""Chosun Ilbo", September 23, 2005.
  3. ^ "Horan goes straightforward."호란은 직진한다"Magazine T", December 26, 2006
  4. ^ Lee, Jae-Won. 클래지콰이 다채로운 리듬 '감칠맛', "Sports Korea", October 4, 2005.
  5. ^ a b c d Lee, Young Pyo. "Clazziquai comes back with 2nd album(2집으로 돌아온 클래지콰이)", "Seoul Newspaper(서울신문)", October 20, 2005.
  6. ^ Lee, Hye-Ri. "러브홀릭·클래지콰이 '삼순열풍'에 한 몫", "NoCut News", June 6, 2005.
  7. ^ [Interview by You-Suk Oh, Music Village]
  8. ^ Clazziquai's MySpace

[edit] Musical Samples