Singer-songwriter Oohyo returns with new album

The cover image of singer-songwriter "Oohyo Returns." (Mirrorball Music)

Singer-songwriter Oohyo is dropping a new album, "Oohyo Returns," on Monday.

The extended play marks Oohyo's first step as she sets off on her independent journey, the album's distributor Mirrorball Music said in a statement.

An album celebrating her ninth debut anniversary, "Oohyo Returns" is packed with old and new sounds from the singer. According to Mirrorball Music, the album includes revised versions of three previously released songs -- "Teddy Bear," "Perhaps Maybe" and "Reggae" -- along with two new songs, "World's Quietest DJ" and "I Give You Love."

Partaking in the band's redo of "Teddy Bear," "Perhaps Maybe" and "Reggae" were guitarist Lee Neung-ryong and drummer Lee Hae-in, who had performed with Oohyo at the 2022 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival where the three songs were unveiled for the first time, the distributor said.

Famed musicians from overseas also contributed to the project, including film music composer Paul Leonard Morgan in the creation of the string orchestration for "Perhaps Maybe Returns" and producers Joe Reinhart and Victor Le Bourhis in the tracks' mixing.

A widely listened-to musician in Korea, Oohyo made quite a sensational appearance in 2014 with her first EP "Girl Sense" and went onto drop her first LP "Adventure" the next year. Her second LP, "Far From the Madding City," came out in April 2019, marking the final album produced with Munhwain, her last company.

Leaving Munhwain around early 2020, the singer-songwriter has dropped several singles and collaborated with other musicians, as well as appear in TV programs.

In Mirrorball Music's statement, Oohyo left a special message, dedicating her new album to those "who strive for both consistency and novelty and always dream of a better self."

"Oohyo Returns" will come out at 6 p.m. on Monday.

By Choi Ji-won(jwc@heraldcorp.com)