Invisible Worker is the debut album by yonglee & the DOLTANG, a genre-defying band from Korea. Their music is described as a mix of jazz, prog rock and free improvisation, and the album's nine tracks cover a broad range of musical styles that are often hard-driving and edgy. Quoting Yonglee's website, "Through their music, they navigate the complexities of modern society and delving into ontological inquiries and satirical reflections on the absurdities of youth as artists." The band is comprised of Yonglee (composer, piano, keyboards), Yechan Jo (guitar), Youngwoo Lee (synth, electronics), Hwansu Kang (bass) and Dayeon Seok (drums). Again quoting Yonglee's website: "Balancing intellectual depth with emotional resonance, DOLTANG presents compelling responses to the question of how Korea should engage with the global trend of jazz localization. Their compositions feature a structural beauty, intertwining layers of rhythms beneath accessible melodies, culminating in improvisations that reveal raw emotions by effortlessly captivating the audience."

Invisible Worker begins with a one-minute electronic introduction called "S50und P61ant7" that segues into "Pay Day," a driving piece with a powerful rhythm and features electronic keyboards, drums, electric guitars and (for me) feelings of chaos and tension. I don't think anyone will fall asleep to this one! "Shell" features piano, keyboards, electric guitars and lots of percussion - very dynamic, edgy and exploratory. "Fluorescent Light" features the vocals of Song Yi Jeon in addition to lots of electric guitar, drums and keyboard. The first half of "Drops" is somewhat calmer and more melodic, but the second half is very free-form with riffs on piano, guitars and drums. "Do Plastic Bags Dream About Sunset" is a very intriguing title, and the track it belongs to is the closest to a smooth jazz piece of any of the nine. Melodic, with guitars carrying most of the lead, the percussion keeps it moving forward and building to a big finish. "Dopamine Rush" includes some Korean scat singing along with very strong percussion and piano improvisation. Unintelligible voices, odd sounds and a frantic pace combine to make this a wild ride! "March of the Invisibles" is something of a prog rock anthem with keyboards, electric guitars and percussion telling the story. The album comes to a close with "Chit-Kong," a piece that begins rather playfully but becomes much darker and more intense. A calmer theme enters, and gradually intensifies while maintaining a lighter and more playful demeanor to the end.

If you're feeling musically adventurous, be sure to give Invisible Worker a try! It is available to stream and download from Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes as well as on many streaming services including Spotify and Pandora.