“Leenalchi has changed the way I think about music, dancing and Korea. I have never heard anything quite like this.” – Brian Eno

Hee-hee! Ha-ha! Hut-hut! Aiiyeh! Kkululululu!! Most people reading through the lyrics of South Korean band Leenalchi won’t understand them - and funnily enough, that also goes for many Koreans. On their new album, the seven-piece ensemble captures the sounds of rainfall and croaking frogs in repetitive, psychedelic rhythmic landscapes shaped by voices and instruments alike.

Almost equally incomprehensible - yet just as attention-grabbing and hypnotic — is the cross-aesthetic universe of local art collective Napalm Kunst, who open the evening with an imaginative and explosive program.

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LEENALCHI

Leenalchi is a South Korean band that merges tradition and modernity into a truly distinctive sound. Their music is rooted in pansori, an ancient Korean vocal tradition in which epic stories are performed through intense singing and rhythm. But with Leenalchi, it is not the narrative itself that takes center stage - it is the sound of the voice.

The band’s music is created by composer Jang Young Gyu, who blends pansori with funky basslines and minimalist beats. The four vocalists use their voices as instruments, where repetition, exclamations and texture create a hypnotic, almost trance-like experience. The words are often difficult to understand, even for Korean listeners, yet the emotions still come through.

Leenalchi’s approach is inspired by pansori traditions in which singers historically trained by waterfalls to imitate the sounds of nature. This spirit is reflected in the music, which feels organic and rhythmic - moving freely rather than following rigid structures.

Though deeply rooted in Korean culture, Leenalchi has gained international attention, including through the TV series Pachinko. They represent an alternative side of Korean music, far removed from polished K-pop.

The essence of Leenalchi is that music does not need to be understood in order to be felt. They dissolve the boundary between language and sound, creating an experience that speaks directly to the senses.

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NAPALM KUNST

Napalm Kunst is a think tank and art collective with a bouncy-castle-like practice based in Aarhus’ Sydhavn district.

The cosmos bubbles and bursts with ideas — videos, paintings, events, musicians, releases, photography and sound installations.

Napalm Kunst takes both action and expression into their own hands.