There’s a hint of calm assurance in Hyunji Lee’s demeanor as we meet in the studio apartment she uses as both living and music making space. ‘It’s definitely more of a  going with the flow thing. I go into it without expecting anything,’ she observes as we go through the path which led her where she stands today: One of the most promising acts coming out of Montréal’s electronic music scene.

Hyunji-A’s productions showcase her knack for evoking nostalgic feels, coming up with alluring textures and using her classical piano education to tell stories through her tracks, even sometimes sprinkling her very own voice on top. Faithful to this style is her latest outing, the ‘Ticking Clock EP’ out now on TOR.  ‘The inspiration behind Ticking Clock came when I heard a neighbor who plays the guitar through the wall. I could barely hear him, but that’s the cool part, it left space for coming up with my own melodies on top of it.’

Music has always been present in Hyunji’s life, attending piano lessons from the age of 4 in her natal Korea before moving to Canada a year later with her parents, spending her youth between Montréal and Calgary before completing a major in physics at McGill university from 2014 to 2017.

However, it was 2019 that saw her develop her passion for electronic music, with her venturing into Ableton and attending famed venue Stereo Montréal for the first time, seeing Eelke Kleijn grace the decks of the institution to celebrate the 20 years of the club. Three years later, Kleijn is now playing ‘Exploration’ in his sets. ‘It feels surreal, having my tracks resonate with artists that I admire. The first DJ that I got to see at Stereo playing my music is very interesting.’

As is the case for so many, the 2020 COVID lockdown proved a catalyst to twenty-seven year old’s musical development. ‘It was music every single day. From there I started sending music to labels and things picked up. When I make a track I rarely have a preconceived idea per se, it mostly starts with a jam,’ she explains, crediting her over ten years of piano lessons. ‘Having musical knowledge from a young age really helps a lot in terms of composition and creating ideas for melodies.’

Equally enticing to Hyunji-A’s music are the evocative textures, which are often what makes a progressive house record memorable. ‘The textures I come up with often have a nostalgic ring to them. Music has this ability to transport you back to certain memories, I love that notion.’

As for inspiration, Hyunji cites the likes of Max Cooper and Jon Hopkins, who are known for going way left-field in their productions. ‘In the future, I want to diverge out of the usual track structuring methods, kind of like composing a classical musical piece.’

On top of the obvious prog titans such as John Digweed and Hernan Cattaneo, Hyunji also refers to Guy J as an artist she looks up to, for his ability to build his sets around his own productions. That latter influence is most definitely present in her latest XYZ Selectors mix, which is entirely comprised of her own tunes. ‘A full set consisting of my own tracks has been something I’ve dreamed of doing for some time now. I suppose it came naturally, with time and experience.’

Listen to Hyunji-A’s debut on the XYZ Selectors below:

Tracklist:
1. Hyunji-A – Beyond These Blue Skies (Original Mix) [Unreleased]
2. Michael Giacchino – Life & Death (Hyunji-A’s Private Bootleg)
3. Hyunji-A – The Great Odyssey (Original Mix)
4. Hyunji-A – Orbital Resonance (Original Mix)
5. Emi CA – Aztra (Hyunji-A Remix)
6. Hyunji-A – A Simple Truth (Original Mix) [Unreleased]
7. Hyunji-A – Storm Chaser (Original Mix) [Unreleased]
8. Hyunji-A – Find Your Truth (Original Mix)
9. Hyunji-A – Ticking Clock (Original Mix)
10. Hyunji-A – Exploration (Original Mix)
11. Hyunji-A – Red Mountain Sun (Original Mix) [Unreleased]
12. Hyunji-A – Solitude (Original Mix)
13. Hyunji-A – Life Before Your Eyes (Original Mix)
14. Hyunji-A – Of Winds & Sea (Original Mix) [Unreleased]
15. Hyunji-A – Sunlight Moonlight (Original Mix)

Stream & Buy the ‘Ticking Clock’ EP : https://xyzlabel.lnk.to/TickingClock

Follow Hyunji-A
Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/hyunji-a
Facebook – www.facebook.com/hyunjiamusic/
Instagram – www.instagram.com/hyunji.a_/