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The hammer has the ability to both destroy and repair. Yaeji holds a mallet on the cover of her first album, With a Hammer. Despite her calm expression, the playful smirk drawn on the tool suggests a potential for mischief. Will she use it for destruction or creation? Her inviting gaze over her shoulder beckons us to join her and discover the answer.
Yaeji’s first full-length album, “With a Hammer,” is a milestone for the 30-year-old artist who has made a name for herself in New York’s underground club scene over the past decade. While she gained some mainstream attention with hits like “Raingurl” and her cover of Drake’s “Passionfruit,” “With a Hammer” represents a new chapter in her musical journey.
Yaeji, who grew up in both the US and South Korea, has expressed feeling disconnected in both countries and not fully belonging to either culture. With a Hammer was produced during the pandemic, a time when anti-Asian hate crimes in the US rose by 77%, and Yaeji has openly discussed the impact this had on her as she confronted her painful past. While creating the album, she revealed that she kept a real hammer nearby in the studio, which is reflected in the album’s themes of defense and attack. Through 13 songs in both English and Korean, Yaeji addresses a lifetime of pain, confusion, and bitterness. In the song Fever, she raps in Korean about the issue of “yellow fever,” where non-Asian individuals objectify and fetishize Asian people based on their race. She also uses her platform to call for social change, exemplified in the catchy chant of Done (Let’s Get It): “Let’s get it done, I want it done, it’s our freedom.”
The lyrics of the songs are emotionally charged, while Yaeji’s production is restrained and minimalistic. The album begins with Submerge FM, featuring a flute that mimics the sound of birds, followed by a steady drum beat and Yaeji’s hushed vocals, as if she is revealing secrets. With a Hammer takes more influence from popular music compared to her previous EPs, with carefully crafted synth and woodwind elements, and repetitive lyrics sung like affirmations. However, there are moments of vulnerability, such as in I’ll Remember for Me, I’ll Remember for You where Yaeji sings softly about writing down memories and being there for someone, accompanied by the gentle sound of brass instruments.
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However, there are instances where even using two languages is not enough to convey a certain emotion. In the song Passed Me By, the artist sings a chorus that transitions into pure wordless sound. Later on in the album, Yaeji collaborates with other musicians such as Nourished by Time and Loraine James, expanding her musical world and embracing a sense of community. In With a Hammer, Yaeji turns a painful experience into a creative outlet, while the title track serves as a release for the built-up tension throughout the album. With lyrics like “There were days I gave up / And put a mask on my face, brain and heart,” Yaeji acknowledges the time it takes to heal and the power of music in the mending process. And in the end, she is ready to move forward again.
Source: theguardian.com
