The keen reader might recall Korean neo-traditional crossover trio SYOT from a feature we published in late 2025, celebrating the group as developing “a deeply eclectic musical space, a timeless blend of traditional Korean allure and Western influences.” We stand by our words, even more so today, as SYOT have unveiled a substantial and comprehensive body of work. ‘NAVI’ marks their latest album, a whopping twenty-track collection that weaves in and out of traditional Korean instrumentation and contemporary electronica.
It’s a fine balance, yet one that works extremely well. ‘NAVI’ feels luscious and daring, hypnotic and fresh; sometimes, it leans on jazzier tones and laidback rhythms, at other times it runs towards kinetic club-oriented gems. Whichever way you look at it, the sense is that SYOT have penned a masterpiece, a committed manifesto of all they stand for as a musical endeavour. Slowly, yet consistently, producer and multi-instrumentalist G.QOO, jazz pianist Hanbeen Park, and gayageum player Yoolim Lee are enticing a bigger and bigger global audience.
An example of SYOT’s nuanced and research-driven musical style can be observed in ‘Blue Light’. The project’s everlasting tension between modernity and tradition is particularly prominent in the piece. As SYOT explains: “One thing we were very conscious about while making ‘Blue Light’ was the duality of the gayageum. The instrument can sound fragile and delicate, but at the same time, it has a very percussive, almost rough edge when you dig into the strings. I wanted to capture both sides; something tender yet tense, strong yet soft.”
Recommended! Discover ‘NAVI’ now: