PRESS

<Crossroads: Live in Amsterdam> Album Review
: MMJAZZ Feb 2025 Edition

English translation:
I got the impression that the theoretical and methodological ideas of modern music that she has studied after moving to the Netherlands were systematized from her previous work, but this live album attempts a different musical approach, giving it a different flavor. In terms of musical expression, this duo performance, which sounds like free jazz improvisation, is actually composed of a flow that was planned in advance by the composer's intention. Nevertheless, the atonal melodies that contain unexpected coincidences create tension, and the range of selected notes and rhythms is not flat, so it does not sound trite.
Each track contains the composer Nubim's creative background and meaning, but to my ears, who listened to the music itself before recognizing it in advance, this work came across as a duo album of avant-garde violin and contrabass full of tension. The provocative expressions and the push-and-pull mutual interaction and balance of the two string players who are familiar with both classical and jazz are well-achieved, and in particular, the performance of the Turkish violinist Cisem Ozkurt plays a very important role in leading the sharp tension contained throughout the work to the end. Along with the provocative violin, the contrabass sound that subtly yet comprehensively embraces the violin while maintaining the sharp tension that can be seen as the core emotion of the work also continues without losing focus until the end of the tracks. This point alone makes me think that this work is more than worthy of receiving good reviews.
Another thing, I don't know if the wide reverberation of a live space rather than a studio was intended in advance, but the synergy between the reverberation and the musicians' performance creates a different overall mood to the work than studio albums, which is an unexpectedly appealing point.
Composer Nubim, who used the grammar of modern music that broke away from the existing harmony system and the dynamic and unconventional sound expression of jazz as her creative framework, has persuasively achieved a sharp musical contrast using the two instruments of contrabass and violin.
/ Kim Hee-jun, Editor-in-Chief of MMJAZZ

<Crossroads>: Nominated for the Korean Music Awards

📍English translation of the review
At first glance, this duo performance sounds similar to the free improvisation of free jazz, but in fact, it is made up of a flow of melodies that were planned in advance by the composer. The contrast between the provocative violin and the contrabass that creates a subtle yet heavy tension, and even the reverberation of the live space, create a mutual musical synergy that sharply provokes our ears and emotions throughout, which is quite impressive. Composer Nubim, who uses the grammar of modern music that breaks away from the existing harmonic system and the unconventional sound expression of jazz as her creative framework, successfully creates a musical contrast by using the expressions of the performers that fit her concept as a stepping stone.
- Selection Committee Member Kim Hee-jun

<Crossroads: Live in Amsterdam> Album Review
: JAZZPEOPLE Aug 2024 Edition

English translation:
This is a new work by Nubim, who used to work in Korea and is currently studying and working on jazz and classical music in the Netherlands. She composed the music herself, and the performance was done by a Turkish violinist and an Austrian bassist. In this album, Nubim included pieces based on various works of art from the East and the West, including Korean woodblock print 'Great Dharani Sutra', 'Mandaeru' in Byeongsan Seowon', paintings by Mondrian and Hendrik Averkamp, literary works such as Camus' 'The Stranger' and Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea', and Spanish flamenco dance. This is a plan worthy of Nubim, who turned from architecture to music and has always shown interest in various fields of art. The important thing is whether the plan is well-constructed in the duet performance of the violin and bass, and this is also satisfactory. The jazzy tension and harmony between the two instruments, to the point where you wonder if every single movement was really composed, gives a sense of time to the works of art that are the subject matter, and makes you look at each work in a new way. As a result, the paintings resonate three-dimensionally, the narrative of the novel becomes more dramatic, and the architecture reveals the dynamism inherent in continuity. This is the result of Nubim contemplating each work of art and interpreting its impressions through the thoughtful use of various musical materials. And this is something that only music can do.
/ Choi Kyu-yong (music critic), August issue of the magazine 'JAZZPEOPLE'

New Music Now

News of Nubim's String Project performance was published on New Music Now.

Article about EP <Light in January>

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks for a beautiful review of my EP!
<Jazzpeople> Magazine: September Edition

"Composer Nubim is currently working based in the Netherlands, and is continuing her various work activities with the top performers in the Netherlands. In particular, she has a history of studying architecture. Thanks to this, the soundscape she built was born as a collection of short pieces like a city in a broad sense. This EP focuses on the pandemic that has plunged many artists into a time of agony and reflection. In addition, thanks to her active work in parallel with classical music, a well-structured arrangement was produced. This would be a privilege that only Nubim can enjoy or the fruit of this EP. First, 'A Shelter' is a trio for piano, violin and cello, and features a simple taste, and on the tracks that follow, it is organized as an ensemble of 5 members including piano, marimba, cello, and saxophones, maximizing the variety of sound. The three themes are contained in a large frame of storytelling through the track arrangement order. In particular, in 'Rotary Vertigo III' recorded as a bonus track, the live orchestra performed at last year's Andrissen Festival was captured as it is, demonstrating the vibrancy of the scene and confidence in the high level of perfection. Just as we wish for a happy ending rather than a sad ending, Nubim also imagined a happy ending by drawing our lives."

An article about my album <Chapel of Light> was published in the August issue of the monthly <Audio> magazine. ('월간 오디오' 2020.8월호)

A new album by Nubim, a composer and performer who shows changes in various genres, has been released. It feels different from the work <Live in Serenity> introduced in this magazine several years ago. Of course, nearly 10 years have passed, and in the meantime, she studied jazz and classical composition in the Netherlands. Perhaps that is why many Dutch performers participated in this album. Nubim herself was in charge of producing and playing electronic instruments. As in her previous works, it is on the borderline between modern music and jazz, but this album in particular contains more experimental modern musical elements than before. It is somewhat reminiscent of movie soundtracks, and jazz and modern musical elements are mixed together. The sound effects are so maximized that readers of this magazine will feel its charm even more strongly. All nine tracks are said to have been inspired by various cultural contents from the East and the West, such as the novels <The Old Man and the Sea> and <The Stranger>, Kim Chun-soo's poem <Flower>, and places like London and the Guggenheim Museum. The word Nubim actually means New Beam, or new light. I support Nubim's new album, as they are constantly trying different things without settling for the present.

An article about my new album was published in the August issue of the monthly <Auditorium> magazine. (월간 '객석' 2020.8월호)

Nubim majored in architectural design in Korea and later studied jazz composition. In 2015, she studied in the Netherlands to solidify her musical identity. This new album contains pieces she composed in the Netherlands over the past four years, and is composed of pieces inspired by the novels “The Old Man and the Sea,” “The Stranger,” and the Guggenheim Museum. Nubim paid attention to the order inherent in literature and architecture and tried to translate this into music. Although it is a classical subject matter, the addition of electronic music sounds creates a fresh feeling.

Appearance on podcast broadcasting / host: classical columnist 'ILBUM CHANG' (팟캐스트 '장일범의 유쾌한 클래식')

www.podbbang.com/ch/17561?e=23605621

Appearance on FM radio broadcasting / host: 'WON IL'
(FM 라디오 '이도공간', 원일 선생님 진행, 보이는 라디오)

A Review of 'Chapel of Light' [ENGLISH BELOW]

<The Chapel of Light: Applying architecture and literature to music >
This is a new work by composer Kim So-young, who works under the name Nubim. These have been written in the Netherlands for the past four years. The album recorded in Rotterdam and Den Haag from 2018 to 2019 included a total of nine compositions. Each piece is related to literature, buildings and a city (kindly there is no 'untitled'). Composer Nubim, who majored in architecture, presents works that cross jazz, classical and cinematic music. The first track of the album is ‘Between Silence & Light’. Nubim expressed 'Mandaeru' of Byeongsan Seowon in electronic music. This work reminds me of the breeze that sits on the open Mandaeru. ‘A Strong Will’ drew Hemingway's ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ with S'yo Fang’s piano solo. The will not to know how to give up, the fragments pass by. The title track 'Chapel of Light I', played by Wietse Voermans' alto saxophone and S'yo Fang's piano, expresses the cathedral of Ronchamp designed by Le Corbusier. It is like a midday daydream watching the light of stained glass pouring from a wide variety of frame-like windows. 'Rotary Vertigo', played by the same instruments, depicts the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan. The thrill of the spiral staircase that I looked down from above comes to mind. The next track 'Flower' is an expression of Kim Chun-soo's poem 'Flower'. Clarinet from Peter-marc Dijcks and Marimba from Georgi Tsenov allude to the existence of 'I' and 'He'. The margins except for both instruments seem to have evaporated are cool. 'City Life', played by Tenor Sax from Wietse Voermans, Alto Sax from Stephanie Francke, and S'yo Fang, described London. The daily life of a busy and old city
comes to mind. 'From Winter to Summer', played by S'yo Fang and Aliya Iskhakova, as a 4 hands on 1 piano, is based on Kwangpoongkak in Soswaewon. I want to go to the place where the valley water flows and the wind of the forest blows. 'Erotos III' was thought to be related to Araki Nobuyoshi's photos, but Nubim portrayed Albert Camus' novel 'The Stranger'. Peter-marc Dijcks' clarinet, Ivan Nogueira's cello, and Nubim's electronic music keep the mystery and intermittent anxiety at a distance, and the exchange between instruments becomes increasingly frequent and tight. You can feel the direction from dark to bright. The last track is also the title track, 'Chapel of Light II'. The pipe organ of Hayo Boerema and the electronic music of Nubim are more clearly and aggressively draw Ronchamp's cathedral than the previous track. Although Nubim's music is contemporary music, it is relatively short in length, and the expression is clear, and it is not so difficult because it is program music. Among various attempts, tracks containing Nubim's electronic music were most appealing. Electronic music-oriented records are also worth looking forward to.
Nowadays, travel is banned, and I feel like I was traveling by music.
- Ryu Tae-hyeong (music columnist, Korea)

Nubim(누빔)이란 이름으로 활동하는 작곡가 김소영님의 신작이다. 지난 4년동안 네덜란드에서 작곡한 작품들이라 한다. 2018~2019년 로테르담과 덴 하그에서 녹음된 음반에는 총 9곡이 수록됐다. 각 곡은 문학, 건물, 도시와 관련이 있다(친절하게도 ‘무제’는 없다). 건축학을 전공한 작곡가 누빔은 재즈, 클래식, 영화음악을 넘나드는 작풍을 선보인다. 첫 곡은 ‘Between Silence & Light’이다. 병산서원의 ‘만대루’를 누빔이 전자음악으로 표현했다. 탁 트인 만대루에 앉아 온몸으로 맞던 소슬바람이 생각나는 곡이다. ‘A Strong Will’은 스요 팡(S’yo Fang)의 피아노 솔로로 헤밍웨이 ‘노인과 바다’를 그렸다. 포기할 줄 모르는 의지, 그 단편이 스쳐 지나간다. 비트제 푀르만스의 알토 색소폰과 스요 팡의 피아노가 연주하는 타이틀 곡 ‘Chapel of Light I’은 르 코르뷔지에가 지은 롱샹 성당을 표현했다. 각양각색의 액자 같은 창에서 쏟아지는 스테인드글라스의 빛을 보는 한낮의 몽상 같다. 같은 편성으로 연주하는 ‘Rotary Vertigo’는 맨해튼의 구겐하임 미술관을 그렸다. 위에서 내려다본 나선형 계단의 아찔함이 떠오른다. ‘Flower’는 김춘수의 시 ‘꽃’을 주제로 했다. 페터 마르크 디크스의 클라리넷과 게오르기 체노프의 마림바로 ‘나’와 ‘그’의 존재를 암시한다. 두 악기 외에 모두 증발한 듯한 여백이 시원하다. 푀르만스의 테너색소폰, 스테파니 프랑케의 알토색소폰, 스요 팡이 연주한 ‘City Life’는 런던을 그렸다. 분주하면서도 유구한 도시의 일상이 떠오른다. 스요 팡과 알리야 이샤코바가 포핸즈피아노로 연주한 ‘From Winter to Summer’는 담양 소쇄원 광풍각을 소재로 했다. 계곡 물이 흐르고 대숲 바람이 불어오는 그곳에 가고 싶어진다. ‘Erotos III’는 아라키 노부요시의 사진집과 관련있을 줄 알았는데 카뮈의 ‘이방인’을 그렸다.디크스의 클라리넷과 이반 노게이라의 첼로, 누빔의 전자음악이 미스터리함과 단속적인 불안이 거리를두고 이어지다가 악기간 교류가 빈번해지고 타이트해진다. 어둠에서 빛으로 가는 방향성이 느껴진다. 마지막 곡 역시 타이틀곡으로 ‘Chapel of Light II’다. 하요 보에레마의 파이프오르간과 누빔의 전자음악이 함께한다. 앞선 1부에 비해 훨씬 더 적극적으로 뚜렷하게 롱샹 성당을 그린다. 음반을 다 듣고 나니 누빔의 작품들은 동시대음악이지만 비교적 길이가 짧고 표현이 분명하며, 표제음악이어서 그리 난해하게 다가오지 않는다. 다양한 시도 속에서도 누빔의 전자음악이 등장하는 곡들이 가장 솔깃했다. 전자음악 위주의 음반도 기대해 볼 만하다. 여행을 금지당한 요즘, 음악으로 여행한 것 같은 기분이다.
-글: 류태형 / 음악 칼럼리스트

A Review of 'Chapel of Light' [ENGLISH BELOW]

"The sacredness and mystery stand out in Nubim's new album 'Chapel of Light', which uses East and West, and literature and architecture as materials. Nubim's efforts to pay attention to the beauty of order and insight in literature and architectural works, and to focus on transferring it to music, are still godly and earnest. Music that appears to be evident from this point of view and attitude is largely classical, but Nubim adds an electronic sound to the performance, bringing new energy to the music. The dynamism of this new energy is the key to finalizing the differences and personality of Nubim's music. In particular, the album's first track 'Between Silence And Light' and the last track 'Chapel Of Light ll' play a role in improving the density of the album, since both completeness and sound production are excellent. The music that goes beyond reappearance to re-creation confirms how the music is different and why it is needed. The performances of musicians in the Netherlands are also excellent. It is music that started from real and became another real."
- Seojungmingab (music critic, the July issues of magazine 'Jazzpeople', Korea)

뮤지션 누빔이 2015년부터 네덜란드에서 재즈 작곡과 클래식 작곡을 전공한 후 내놓은 앨범이다. 자신이 프로듀싱과 전자음악을 맡은 이번 앨범의 피아노, 색소폰, 클라리넷, 마림바, 첼로, 파이프 오르간 연주는 네덜란드의 연주자들이 담당했다. 이 앨범에 담은 곡들은 만대루, 소설 <노인과 바다>, 롱샹 성당, 구겐하임 미술관, 김춘수의 <꽃>, 런던, 담양 소쇄원 광풍각, 알베르 카뮈의 소설 <이방인>에서 영감을 얻은 곡들이다. 동양과 서양, 문학과 건축을 작품의 재료로 삼은 누빔의 이번 앨범에서는 성스러움과 신비로움이 도드라진다. 문학과 건축 작품에 깃든 질서와 통찰의 아름다움에 주목하고 음악으로 옮기는데 주력하는 누빔의 노력은 여전히 경건하고 진지하다. 이러한 관점과 태도에서 발현되는 것이 분명해 보이는 음악은 대체로 고전적이지만, 누빔은 자신이 연주한 일렉트로닉 사운드를 더해 음악에 새로운 기운을 불어넣는다. 이 새로운 기운의 역동성은 누빔 음악의 차이와 개성을 완결 짓는 핵심이다. 특히 앨범의 첫 곡인 'Between Silence And Light'와 마지막 곡 'Chapel Of Light ll'는 곡의 완성도와 사운드 메이킹 모두 유려해 앨범의 밀도를 높이는 역할을 톡톡히 한다. 재현을 넘어 재창조로 나아가는 음악은 음악이 어떻게 다르고 왜 필요한지를 충분히 확인시킨다. 네덜란드 연주자들의 연주 역시 손색이 없다. 실물에서 출발해 또 다른 실물이 된 음악.
- 글: 서정민갑 / 월간 JAZZPEOPLE 7월호

The news of being selected for ICMC 2018
- magazine 'Art & Culture', June.2018

The news of being selected for ICMC 2018
- magazine 'JAZZPEOPLE', June.2018

My first album <Yellow Woods> was included among 150 albums selected based on historical value in the book 'Rediscovery of Korean Jazz Records' (2017, author: Sunggeon Park, music critic).