On October 27 the indie band SURL released the EP album “XYRUP” containing a series of new songs, as well as previously released singles ‘Hypnosis’ and ‘ringringring’.
“XYRUP” is inspired by the ever-changing world around us and many emotions we often feel, such as anxiety, worry, loss, endless categorization and obsession, a lack of choice, and the loss of self.
Previously, SURL’s songs focused on comfort and empathy. The album contains all of the negative emotions that SURL felt in the realistic and cold world, and their desire to release all of that without hiding them in a cathartic manner.
“Maybe you hate people who are the opposite of you.
You might hate losing yourself.
You may hate yourself.
Or maybe you’re just suffering in the midst of it.
Can you be honest with yourself?
Do you know who you are?
What do you hate?”
SURL consists of vocalist and guitarist Seol Hoseung, guitarist Kim Doyeon, bassist Lee Hanbin and drummer Oh Myeongsuk. The band debuted in 2018 and is currently recognized in both South Korea and the international stage for their catchy tracks, superb musicianship and honest lyrics. With their genre-blended hits, SURL has pushed the boundaries of the indie scene in South Korea and has also had cross-genre collaborations with hip-hop artists Jay Park and Hash Swan.
Since their debut, they have performed all over the world through multiple tours, as well as participated in high profile international festivals such as SXSW in the US, Canadian Music Week in Canada, Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, LUCfest in Taiwan, Baybeats Festival in Singapore and Big Mountain Music Festival in Thailand.
In 2023, SURL also had an eventful year, kicking off their North American tour across 13 cities in the US and Canada in April to take them to the global stage. This was followed by a six-city Asian tour, and a “Korea Spotlight” showcase in Mexico, followed by additional shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Listen to “XYRUP”
