Q&A: imugi 이무기

Tāmaki Makaurau’s electro-pop-synth power-duo imugi 이무기 continue to take us on an ultra-dreamy cosmic journey, creating poetic stream-of-consciousness music & an idyllic, unique celestial soundscape. Also with influences of late 90s downbeat, trip-hop & modern R&B, their techno-naturalistic sound is complemented by Yery’s smooth, ethereal vocals and soft-spoken rap as well as Carl’s dazzling atmospheric synth beats. Effortlessly intertwined with this is the duo’s considered thinking around music, culture, and identity in Aotearoa. 

In 2017, they independently released their debut EP “Vacasian”, which set them on a trajectory of performances such as Laneway Festival, Whammy Fest, TEDxAKL, Rhythm & Vines, Milk and Honey Festival 2020 as well as supporting artists for international and local acts including Jungle, Bailey Wiley, Red Bull NZ Presents, LEISURE, Cosmo’s Midnight, Crooked Colours & Confidence Man.

From there, they dropped their enchantingly addictive sophomore EP “Dragonfruit”, lyrically taking listeners on a trip through the diasporic-Asian-girl-psyche - unearthing the complex issues that migrant women of colour face, and the healing it takes to go from self-consciousness to self-awareness.

Most recently, their double release of “Swimming” (ft. long-time friend and collaborator Hans.) and “Memories” dives into the themes of questioning the validity of external perceptions and the forces that shape our motives, as well as the coping mechanisms we often turn to in order to resist the changes that confront us during our formative years.

We’d love to know a little bit about your musical journey from when you first met each other to where you are now!

We first met in high school. We were in the same circle of friends and got real into going to the all-ages gigs at UFO lol. At some point we started writing music together. We’ve been so blessed to have played the shows we have, been collaborating with some of our favourite local artists and released two projects independently; “Vacasian” EP and “Dragonfruit” EP.

Imugi (이무기) is a mythological serpent creature from a Korean tale, that ultimately desires to transform into a dragon. Can you explain a little bit about this myth and why you chose this name for yourselves?

The meaning has been quite fluid but always something about being ok without the transformation has resonated with us. Not holding oneself to any standard and illusions of the structures that white supremacy and capitalism have set up around the world. A dragon is a dragon and imugi is imugi :~)

A lot of people mistake the pronunciation to be with a soft ‘g’ but its a hard one just sayingggg <3

Taking a bit of a throwback to your self-released debut EP, you’ve mentioned that “Vacasian” is based on a dream world where you’re allowed to have dreams and say what you want without feeling any pressure. Can you tell us a bit more in your own words about the concept of this EP?

YERY: I first saw the word “Vacasian” on a travel poster advertising these travel packages around East Asia. I’ve never been back to Korea before and had some kind of reaction to it and it stuck around my head, linking to more and more of these complex feelings I had about capitalism, feminism, and self perception in disconnect at the time. Carl’s production is so dynamic, it gave such a good setting for escapism through my day dreaming and writing.

CARL: The production in “Vacasian” started as more of sound experiments than songs. I was learning a lot about synthesis and production at the time, and I was becoming obsessed with creating these kind of dreamy synth loops, and experimenting with classic drum machine sounds and sampling breaks.

Moving on to your latest EP “Dragonfruit” - WOW. Listening to it is a magical, mesmerising and empowering experience as you continue to create art with your authentic voice. What’s the meaning behind the name, and what was most important to you both when creating “Dragonfruit”?

Thank you so much for listening and for the kind words! <3 The fruits of our labour, the symbolism of fruit on this earth, tarot card spreads and the suffering/peace/dream that is life.

When we were writing the songs for “Dragonfruit” we were in a really exciting time. We were saying yes to every show we got hit up to do. We started doing interviews, meeting incredibly talented people and being introduced to the music industry, therefore having more accessibility to spaces. A lot was going on and we are eternally grateful for the support always.

It was a confronting time (and continues to be tbh) in a lot of ways, but we were able to prove a lot to ourselves and do things we dreamed of. The way that music can really transcend time, space and vessel is so pure and cathartic, we hope those who find “Dragonfruit” enjoy this little fruit of ours.

We absolutely love and agree with your quote “if you’re open minded enough to be willing to listen to the people who are willing to put in the energy to explain to you, then we can start making things better”. What themes would you like people to takeaway from most in “Dragonfruit”?

Bless <3

“Dragonfruit” came about with this little allegory about nurturing seeds, reaping the fruits of labour and using that fruit’s knowledge to continue that cycle. There’s a lot of existential joy/dread and energy in there that’s hard to describe, we just hope those who come across it find some solace in that they exist in so many dimensions and are held in every single one, if they can allow it. That you can transcend beyond the trauma/mind-state/story in this moment and embrace the depth and fullness of yourself as you are now too. Always dedicated to QPOC <3. We are allowed to exist, take up comfortable space, grow and be weird and do whatever without explaining themselves to anyone.

We are also absolutely loving your most recent double release of “Swimming” and “Memories”! Can you dive into the meaning behind both tracks - why it’s essential to let go and “be water” to swim with the flows of life (“Swimming”) and not let other people dictate or define your purpose within (“Memories”)?

Thank you so much for listening and enjoying <3. If we can’t let go and shift, we’d be stuck there. It’s a simple and corny message but it actually takes a lot of work to be able to be aware and loving in the darkest moments. We reached out to Hans. for further comment to which he said, “rip Mac Miller”.

Writing “Memories” was like word vomit. A culmination of all these frustrations but also expressions of this carefree, happy-go-lucky and kind of silly vibe in the beat. It’s a return to honouring one’s self even when it is most difficult, because there is nowhere else to return to.

If there’s anything you could change about the current music industry, what would it be and why?

That it would be demolished and its wealth would be distributed fairly to the communities and artists whom they owe everything to. That it wouldn’t be driven by capitalism and it’s competition anymore. The weird power dynamics.

As they say, there’s no ethical consumption under late capitalism and colonialism, everything is stolen. It’s always been BIPOC putting in the work to dismantle oppressive colonial structures everywhere and also in the music industry - often without proper credit and recognition. There’s a lot of work to be done when it comes to the way we understand and respect each other as we navigate this life trying to be as least abrasive and compassionate as possible. Capitalistic success depends on “grassroots” artists of colour particularly Brown and Black artists, to not only do the work but be grateful for a place in a never-ending competition of wealth and status. ACKNOWLEDGE + PAY!

Who are your biggest inspirations in music?

Jaurim, Paramore, FKA Twigs, Yaeji, Abra, Kali Uchis, Björk, Mitski, Jhene Aiko, My Chemical Romance, Frank Ocean, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Noodle from Gorillaz and everyone in the next answer.

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you love or connect with?

So many!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tei., Brown Boy Magik, Alexa Casino, PollyHill, Dalyan RD, Hans., Milk, Totems <3, Vayne, Amamelia, Babyteeth, Theia, Paige, Silas Futura, Fable, Leaping Tiger, Church & AP, NEKO, DBLDBL, KÉDU CARLÖ, CHAII, NahBo, JessB, Phoebe Rings, Shiraz & LSJ, Waguan, Fiveofive, Lucky Boy^, Bad Friends, Womb, Samara Alofa, bb gurl & Diggy Dupé.

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far and what advice do you have for new artists out there?

YERY: One thing is to not compare our journey to anyone else's. Everybody moves differently and it's all valid. Success is what you make of it. It’s important to keep doing the work to embrace this existence. Checking in with yourself and your friends because that care is everything when things get dark. But at the same time to know your worth and know what you deserve. It's important to be proud and give yourself the credit you deserve. That’s not about ego or external perceptions of you. The work you make is a reflection of you and its conception is all in your growth. Take care of your trust and set boundaries (to yourself too).

CARL: I think a big one for us is learning to say "no". From the start, Yery and I decided that we were going to pursue every opportunity that we could to grow imugi. Playing shows for free, releasing our music for free, it helped us to grow our brand and make connections. But it got to the point where we felt like we were prioritising exposure over artistic integrity. We've both suffered from imposter syndrome, so it's really important to remind ourselves that our art has value - that we are good at what we do and we deserve the recognition that we receive.

Thank you so much imugi 이무기! Make sure you keep up with them on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & Apple Music.