Get ready to dive into the world of Replica Dream! This incredibly talented band isn’t afraid to experiment, blending modern rock with the ethereal sounds of shoegaze to create something truly special. We’ll be chatting with them about their music, their inspirations, and what it’s like to create a sonic experience as unique as a dream.
What inspired the name “Replica Dream”? What does it represent about your music and artistic vision?
The name “Replica Dream” was shaped by my personal experiences as the vocalist. I am highly sensitive to external stimuli, which makes it difficult for me to get a good night’s sleep. As I repeatedly fall into light sleep, I naturally end up dreaming a lot. Vivid landscapes filled with diverse colors and suppressed dark emotions tend to become amplified in my dreams, leaving a strong impression on me. I felt a deep sadness at the thought that these experiences would disappear if I didn’t record them through some medium. That’s why I decided to translate what I see in my dreams into music, which ultimately led to the name “Replica Dream.”
You mention expressing emotions and forms that feel like dreams. Can you give specific examples of emotions or imagery that inspire your songs?
The biggest lesson I learned over the past year is that there are countless bands in Korea, each with a strong and unique identity. I realized that in order to survive as a band in Hongdae, we need to establish a distinct and solid identity of our own.
Replica Dream
The biggest lesson I learned over the past year is that there are countless bands in Korea, each with a strong and unique identity. I realized that in order to survive as a band in Hongdae, we need to establish a distinct and solid identity of our own.
Replica Dream
How did the members of Replica Dream come together? What are the individual strengths each member brings to the band?
I started uploading covers of my favorite songs on YouTube, and the current drummer, Junha Hwang, reached out to me via Instagram DM, suggesting that we form a band together. Except for me (the vocalist), all the members studied music in college, so I’ve received great help from them in terms of music theory.
Describe your creative process. How do you collaborate to translate “dream-like” emotions and forms into music?
First, as the vocalist, I (Chanmin Yang) record scenes, emotions, and thoughts from my dreams, as well as my everyday reflections, in a notebook app. Most of the content tends to be quite pessimistic. Based on these notes, I create a rough demo track with guitar, drums, bass, synth, and vocals and share it with the band members. During the arrangement process, we sometimes tone down overly dark lyrics and adjust the song structure to make the flow smoother.
While the process begins with my personal notes, I believe the final result reflects the input and collaboration of everyone in the band
What genres would you say best describe your music, and how do those genres reflect your unique sound?
Actually, we don’t adhere to a specific genre. Just as the things we want to express change every day, we explore various genres depending on the emotions we want to convey.
You mention expressing emotions and forms that feel like dreams. Can you give specific examples of emotions or imagery that inspire your songs?
Each song is different, but if we take this single, “Naphthalene,” as an example, I had an experience in a dream where I met and conversed with someone I can never meet again in reality. I said things I could never say in real life, and as soon as I woke up from the dream, I was overwhelmed with deep sadness. It’s hard to express in words, but it seems that I draw inspiration from these dream experiences.
Do you have a particular message or theme that you consistently try to convey through your music?
We don’t have a specific desire for our listeners to feel any particular emotion. We simply want to share our story through music, and we hope listeners can enjoy it as if they’re reading someone else’s diary. We want it to be music that can be embraced in each person’s own way and felt freely.
What are your goals for the next year as a band? What new projects or challenges are you looking forward to?
We have always performed in familiar venues. In the future, we want to play in larger and more diverse venues and share our music with more people.
What are your long-term aspirations for Replica Dream? Where do you see yourselves in five years, ten years?
As long as we can continue making the music we want to create even 5 or 10 years from now, I think that would be enough.
What is the most important thing you want people to know about Replica Dream and your music?
As mentioned earlier, what we truly want is to share our story. We hope that you can listen with an open mind and interpret it in your own unique way. We appreciate your understanding and freedom in experiencing our music.
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