INDONESIAN VERSION AVAILABLE HERE

Previously, RekON introduced you to a garage rock band from South Korea, Eastern Sidekick (ESK). Now, RekON will introduce you to their label mate from Fluxus, an electro rock duo From The Airport. Joining in June 2013, they are the most recent artists to join Fluxus. They recently released their first EP album, Chemical Love, with the same-titled single on February 6 2014. Even so, they  actually have already released several digital singles beforehand.

The band really caught the attention of music lovers, both in South Korea and around the world. When their first single, Colors, was released in 2012, various webzines reviewed the song. The song became #13 on a popular weekly indie chart, Indie Shuffle, a famous web among international indie community. Many people are looking forward to the duo’s next works, to the extent their third single, Timelines, became #1 on the same chart. After several months disappearing, From The Airport suddenly announced that they were joining Fluxus and released a single, Black Skies, while hinting to their first EP’s release.

What’s interesting about the band is the background of the two members, Milo and Zee. Milo is a guitarist and songwriter for movies such as Jesus Band Korea and Cyrano Agency. Zee is a DJ and songwriter for K-pop and hip-hop singers. Their musical abilities are already proven. When previously they made songs for other singers, which needed to be adjusted to the singers, in FTA, they make songs that can show their own characters. Practically, we can get to know Milo and Zee through From The Airport’s songs. But, there’s no harm if we get to know them deeper through an interview, isn’t it? 🙂

Hello Milo and Zee! Congratulations for your fist EP! First of all you, please introduce yourselves to our readers.

Hi we’re From The Airport from South Korea, who recently debuted with our first EP ‘Chemical Love.’ We’re a duo, Milo and Zee, and we like to call our genre ‘electro rock.’

One thing that always makes me curious is the name of a band, From the Airport. There seems to be elements of philosophy in the selection of this name. Or did I guess it wrong?

We chose the theme ‘airport’ because we believed that the venue could be a symbol for ‘exchange of emotions.’ For instance, people say hi and goodbye, trades of goods happen, love begins and ends, etc. Further, we thought airports gave the sense of excitement and anxiety. And it implied a worldwide scale. So we could say there are elements of philosophy, yes!

Please tell us how you met and formed FTA.

The two of us met at a friend’s home studio, and started jamming. During the jam we came up with a great melody, and deemed that it could turn out to be a great song. Thus we gathered a few more times and made our first track ‘Colors’!

Milo and Zee, both of you already have your own respective careers in the music scene. What made you decide to form the duo now? Is what you did previously not enough?

Milo: It wasn’t that my previous career wasn’t enough, but I saw a clear vision in the band, so I didn’t have to hesitate forming the band. And I still work in the film music scene, so it’s not as if I completely turned my back on my previous music career.

Zee: Ditto.

Milo, what does Zee have that made you want to work with him? And Zee, what does Milo have that made you feel certain to do this project with him?

Milo: I trusted Zee’s musical talents, and I also believe the characteristics of a person needs to match in order to form a group; Zee’s fit in perfectly.

Zee: Well, I don’t have to worry about Milo’s guitar skills, so that’s one thing. And because of his film music experience, we can share a lot of musical elements that I couldn’t create alone.

In making songs for FTA, what makes a song so FTA that will differenciate your songs from other bands?

We always try to do new things based on the electro rock genre, so we don’t think FTA’s music is set in stone just yet.

What factors do you prioritize in making a song? The music? The lyrics? The concept? The message to be delivered?

We prioritize music and message the most. After we find out what message we want to deliver to the audience, we create the lyrics. We don’t really try to set the concept in the beginning; the concept naturally follows.

Please choose a song to recommend to your potential new listeners, that you’re really confident that if people hear this song, they will like FTA. Why that song?

‘Chemical Love,’ because it is one of our catchier tracks, and the message isn’t hard to understand.

There are many bands in Korea that carry electronic-rock genre. Some emphasize the electronic elements, some are more into rock and some try to balance both elements. Does FTA have a specific rule in that matter? Or do you liberate the making process? What do you think?

We don’t really have a rule for a balance between rock and electro; we just find the right balance for the specific songs. For instance, ‘Distinct Memories of the Common Boy’ doesn’t contain any guitar. So we just try to make each song sound the best it can.

[From The Airport-Distinct Memories of the Common Boy (LIVE)]

I’m curious, are you two close with each other outside of music/FTA? Try to prove your closeness by telling the story of each of you that will not be found on your official profiles.

When we’re not working on FTA, we tend to spend time just killing time and having fun, like watching movies or gaming. Our favorite game is FIFA Online 3. Haha.

Back to your first EP. Please tell us about this EP. What do you have to offer to the listeners? What is the bittersweet moment behind the making of this EP?

The main objectives of this EP were to try to find the right balance for the included songs, and to send our listeners a message of ‘positivity.’ All the songs are about our lives, and how one can look at them. One can look at his/her life in a negative viewpoint, or be more hopeful with a positive outlook. We wanted to show the positive side.

Since single Black Skies is released, you’ve announced that you will eventually issue an EP album. What made the release take a long time, about 3 months? Usually, the album launch announcement is just a month prior. Were there any obstacles?

We actually had all our songs finished, but our mastering engineer was hospitalized at the end of 2013, so we waited!

Since joining Fluxus, the qualities of your MVs have increased, not that the previous MVs are not good. Take ‘Raining’ for an example. I personally love how the graphic matches with the songs and lyrics. But previously, you do it all yourselves. Is it the same in Fluxus? How big is your role in the making of the music video for the EP Black Skies and Chemical Love?

We made all of our videos up to ‘Black Skies,’ but a great Korean video artist named ‘Mosery’ created out ‘Chemical Love’ music video. We explained him the basic concept that we wanted to tell in the song, and he basically did the rest. Thank you again, Mosery!

[From The Airport-Chemical Love MV]
The graphics look so beautiful it feels like flying when hearing the song while watching the MV. 

Black Skies and Chemical Love tell about two opposite things. Actually, what messages do you want to deliver with both songs?

Actually, we don’t think they’re telling the opposite. Although ‘Black Skies’ does criticize the terrorist and acts of despotism, it also talks about hope and how the sun will rise again after the black clouds disappear. So both of the tracks in the end deal with positivity.

On March 22nd you will hold a live show release. It’s your first live show, if we are not mistaken. How do you feel about this show? What can you promise to your potential audience? What will they get on the show?

We’ve done gigs before, but it is our first main live show. We feel excited and kinda nervous at the same time. What we can promise to the audience is great music and visual performances, and some tracks that we haven’t released yet!

There are some songs that have not been released!!!! If there are some of you around Seoul on 22 March 2014, make sure to watch their concert 🙂 Click here or here for the ticket (english).

Even though FTA is still considered as a new group, according to you, what achievements have you had that you will proudly say so far?

‘Timelines’ going #1 on Indie Shuffle, that was amazing. And also joining Fluxus, a label we really loved even before we were contacted!

Since your first single “color” out, you’ve received a pretty warm welcome, not only from Korea but also from different parts of the world. In your opinion, is it a blessing or a burden? Or even both?

A blessing. ‘Colors’ was a track that basically gave us the confidence that this team could make it. So we don’t think it was a burden at all; we’re just thankful to the listeners that liked the track.

What is your biggest vision for FTA?

Sending our musical message to the most amount of people possible, around the world. So basically… going worldwide!

Which Korean or International musicians do you want to set as your benchmark? Why?

Both of our favorite bands at the moment is U2, because their music is great and their tracks and their messages have a lot of influence over their listeners.

If you can choose, for your first performance outside Korea, which country do you want to visit the most? And what kind of stage can you set as your barometer of success for FTA?

Anywhere around the world, we don’t have a set destination! We would love to play in Indonesia!

Have you ever heard about Indonesia and the music scene in here? What do you think about it?

We heard Indonesia has great, great audiences, so we would love to meet them someday in person.

RekON too are looking forward to be able to meet them. ONers too, right? We definitely will be the most excited audience they have ever met. Hopefully, this positive-minded band will be getting bigger and keep maintaining their principles. Let’s follow their news on the links below and buy their digital EP from itunes.

Official Website
Official Facebook Page
Official Twitter
Official Youtube

We’d like to thank Fluxus for the interview. Photos and videos are from Fluxus.