Room306

Electronic-pop group Room306 offers us an insight into other people’s emotions on their new EP, “Visit” (인사).

Can we understand others’ emotions clearly? Your answer would be “Yes”. However, is it right? We habitually use the expression “She is happy” or “He is sad”, but it might be a misconception. We can say that she is happy because of her laughter. Similarly, we insist that he is sad because he drops tears.

Although this statement seems rational, what we can describe is only the fact that “She makes a smile” or “He sheds tears”, since we cannot know the other’s internal state. We just suppose the emotion of other people depending on superficial clues they present. Thus, the emotions of the other may be the compound of the assumption and the imagination. In that way, we are on the horns of a philosophical dilemma, known as skepticism.

For the wanderer of the labyrinth, Room306 is a beam of hope, which is the electronic band of Hyo-jin Hong (vocal), FIRST AID (producer), and Ji-su Chae (keyboard). If you hear the music of Room306, you’ll believe that you can know the emotions of other people, even you can’t explain the reason logically.

Room306’s new EP called “Visit” (인사) transforms the belief into the certainty (as Wittgenstein said).

The warm voice of Hyo-jin lies at the center of the certainty, especially in the words of the opening song “Visit”. It does not just express or represent the emotion, but makes the listener face the presence of the emotion. In addition, the delicate production of FIRST AID covers a deficit caused by the change of the band’s lineup from a quintet to a trio. Also, the lithe and graceful keyboard of Ji-su provides support to the certainty.

Let me ask the question from the beginning. Can we understand the other’s emotions clearly? Ironically, my answer is “No”. The thing that Room306 gives us in their songs is not the object of knowing which needs the justification. Rather, the music of Room306 brings us to the region of the certainty, because the emotions that Room306 hand to us will face us without any reasons, any justifications, and neither any doubts.

Stream “Visit” EP on Bandcamp and Spotify.

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Room306 on Facebook, Instagram.

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