Nogymx utilizes traditions of Korean music to make waves

Nogymx / Courtesy of Nogymx

By Daniel J. Springer

Every artist, if they stick with their creative endeavors through a period of years, will go through an evolution in their creative and personal lives. We all do. But what makes creatives unique is that they are doing so publicly, for anyone willing to listen or look.

Such is indeed the case with Irish expat beatmaker Jimmy Dunne, who has spent the last 10 years since arriving in Korea creating a lush and prolific discography of hip-hop and lo-fi soundscapes under the Nogymx (pronounced “no gimmicks”) brand: a bifurcated collection of jazz-dipped bumps and gugak-infused deep dives that provide more of a narrative than your average chill beats.

Feb. 2 marks the release of Dunne’s latest independent full-length, "Pahdo" (Wave), his career eighth. The record is a definite milestone for the artist, marking the completion of a decade spent living in the Land of Morning Calm. Looking back and forward all at once, the album is special to Dunne and most likely will be to his many fans all over the world.

The cover of Nogymx's latest album, titled "Pahdo" / Courtesy of Nogymx

“I chose the name Pahdo to represent the ebb and flow of those 10 years of life,” Dunne stated in an email interview with The Korea Times.

The album also represents a big nod to his adopted homeland, which has had quite the sardonic impact on his sound. “Honestly, I don’t think I would be making the same music had I not come here," he said. "Learning about the culture and traditional music, I can draw a lot of inspiration of course, but I also think the fact that I’ve been so far from home for so long translates to an alluring sound of nostalgia.”

The album itself has “an extra little bit of a refreshing feel” courtesy of the artists featured therein, but also reflects how his productions are “heavily inspired by gugak and pansori.” Obviously, it’s no accident that the album's final track is a cut titled “Morning Calm,” which feels like a gentle fist bump and “hwaiting” to all who call Korea home.

Regular listeners will get a wistful feeling on first listening to "Pahdo," which also tips the cap ever so subtly to his early beat-making days previous to discovering the very chill sounds of lo-fi in 2019. Before this, Dunne was merely “making hip-hop beats for people to rap over. I didn’t even know what the term ‘lo-fi beats’ was, to be honest.”

The artist’s discovery of the very languid sounds inspired initially by the likes of MF DOOM, Madlib and J Dilla brought not only a sea change in Dunne’s production aesthetic, but also a surge in popularity and a host of collaborations with other lo-fi beatmakers the world over. Additionally, it brought out a prolific side to his output, which is nothing new in the lo-fi world, as the artists making this stuff might just be the most voluminous producers going right now.

But what is with the popularity of lo-fi?

Dunne naturally had a bit of insight.

“I think it basically comes down to the fact that billions of people around the world don’t like to do everyday tasks in silence,” he noted.

Nothing new there in the world of music, obviously.

But why lo-fi?

Dunne believes no matter what one is listening to, “music becomes a gentle companion” regardless of the specific activity or genre, for that matter. “Lyrics, however, are very distracting. We find ourselves singing along or getting lost in the words," he said. " So, when we want to focus, what could be more suitable than smooth calming instrumentals playing at a tempo that researchers say enhances focus?”

This is indeed true, as seen in a multiplicity of studies in various disciplines along with direct and indirect testimony from the genre’s listenership. Plus, lo-fi is just everywhere. Finding 24/7 lo-fi playlists on YouTube with absolutely gargantuan viewing numbers is certainly not difficult, and the endless array of DJ mixes, simple playlists and other avenues available on streaming services make it one of the most popular contemporary genres out there.

Nogymx / Courtesy of Nogymx

This of course brings us to the question of how Dunne has built up such a dedicated following in a sea of sleepy noises, because popularity as an artist doesn’t necessarily follow from making music that is popular and ubiquitous.

“I think it is mainly due to how music is consumed these days, which is through playlists,” Dunne said. “I have gotten very lucky with listeners and curators adding my music to their playlists which in turn leads to an increase in streams and hopefully [by extension] fans.”

However, another key, especially in lo-fi (and increasingly in any type of music), is voluminous output. “Though I realize that the nature of the genre is what has helped me gain such a large listener base, if I put the modesty aside for a minute, I will say I have put a lot of work into getting where I am currently,” he said.

This is another aspect of Pahdo’s nostalgic nature that shines through, which is not only a result of Dunne’s decade in Korea, but his own development process as an artist.

“Being self-taught, I’ve had to delve into a myriad of skills over the past years," he said, "learning to play the piano, refining my production techniques, learning enough to mix and master my own tracks, understanding effective music marketing, navigating creative droughts and finding a balance with my day-to-day life.”

A newer element in this decade-long odyssey is how popular his albums (not to mention manifold solo and collab singles) are, as each new album Dunne puts out will routinely garner big numbers of streams in the first weekend post-release, and his monthly listenership on Spotify can often top a million.

Has such a thing changed the dynamic of his creative process at all?

“Not that I can think of right now,” the man from Galway remarked.

The only notable thing worth mentioning to him is the positivity he receives. “I do get a lot of messages from lovely people around the world telling me what they think about my music, how it has helped them navigate tougher times and how it makes them feel. I definitely get a lot of joy reading such messages,” he said.

Being popular online is one thing, but where can a fan find Nogymx performing for his adoring — but still mainly internet-based — public?

“I have plans to do more live events this coming year, and to start off, I’m very excited to be doing an album release celebration down in Gwangju,” he said.

The show is scheduled for Feb. 3, the day after "Pahdo" drops.

It will be interesting to see how Dunne’s live PA and DJ set will go, but the artist himself keeps it as understated as his music, saying simply “looking forward to it.” Undoubtedly more than a few people out there feel likewise.

Nogymx can be found on Instagram @nogymx and all streaming platforms.

Daniel Springer is the former creator, producer, writer and host of The Drop with Danno on GFN. Follow @thedropwithdanno on Instagram.