LEENALCHI to Perform at Pioneer Works With World Music Institute

Seoul-based alt-pop band Leenalchi will perform at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn as part of World Music Institute's NEXT GEN series. The performance will celebrate the release of the band's debut EP, Here Comes That Crow, on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label.

The seven-member band is known for a sound that combines Korea's pansori storytelling tradition with bass-forward grooves, rhythmic percussion and pop vocal styles recalling the 1980s. Its unconventional lineup features two bassists, drums, keyboards and three singers, with no guitar.

Leenalchi gained international attention in part through the “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” tourism campaign, which featured the band's take on the traditional pansori song “Tiger Is Coming.” Their track “Let's Live for Today” was also featured in the original version of the Apple TV+ drama series Pachinko.

At the center of the ensemble is bassist and creator Young-Gyu Jang, also known as Mr. Jang. Jang previously performed with the now-defunct Korean art band SsingSsing, whose appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series was praised by host Bob Boilen as “one of my most memorable Tiny Desk Concerts of all time.”

The Brooklyn performance comes as Leenalchi celebrates Here Comes That Crow, their debut EP for Luaka Bop.

The concert is part of World Music Institute's NEXT GEN, a series spotlighting artists shaping the future of world music. The series focuses on musicians who draw from cultural traditions while reimagining them through contemporary sounds and approaches.