Single Review: Korean Restaurant

Self-described as a lo-fi electronic bedroom pop from elusive Wellington figure, night bus is definitely an obscure act. With a Facebook page created less than a fortnight ago, only 5 followers to their name, and a moniker that is otherwise impossible to search for due to common use, any further information about the artist is not forthcoming.

This release of a debut single Korean Restaurant, a supposed tale of unreciprocated love and kimchi, certainly to the characteristics of lo-fi, with a rather low sound quality, and the inclusion of misplayed notes, and environmental & recording imperfections left in.

A very basic track, it consists of a simple, slow drum track with some keys/synths over the top, and a rather uninspiring vocal melody. Truth be told, this is an artistic choice of sound that they wish to convey (quite common in the lo-fi genre), with a melancholic twist that fits quite well with the simplicity of the instrumental side of things and accentuated with some smooth yet haunting vocal harmonies.

The instrumental melody does add a positive, uplifting element to the track, but the main focal point comes from the lyrics. An interesting style of storytelling, it is the aspect that gives Korean Restaurant life, as the rest of the song as a whole is decidedly repetitive and monotonous. Otherwise mellow and unhurried, Korean Restaurant is a testament of how easy it can be to release music without the trappings of high production values, but it fails to provide any form of hook to save it from fading further into obscurity.