Love X Stereo


Love X Stereo is an electro duo from Seoul, Korea. Consisting lead vocalist and synthesizer player Annie Ko and guitarist and producer Toby Hwang, the duo debuted in 2011 by releasing an EP album called Buzzin'.

Band members

  • Annie Ko: lead vocals, synthesizers
  • Toby Hwang: producer, guitar, bass, synthesizers

History

1998-2011: 18Cruk and Skrew Attack

In 1998, Toby Hwang, then-bassist for Korean punk rock band 18Cruk, decided to quit to from a new 3-piece band, Skrew Attack. Inspired by the faster-paced sounds of bands like NOFX, Black Flag, Bad Religion, and Minor Threat, Hwang cycled through numerous lineup changes with Skrew Attack before meeting vocalist Annie Ko in the Hongdae neighborhood in 2005. Ko had attended Ewha Womans University and Seoul National University, before pursuing a career as a singer. Hwang and Ko remained core members of Skrew Attack until 2011.

2011-present: Name change and Love X Stereo

Driven by a desire to branch out from their punk rock beginnings, Hwang and Ko decided to change the band's name to Love X Stereo, a name derived from Hwang's record label Stereo City Records. In a 2013 interview with Schoolkids Records' BLURT Magazine, Hwang states:
We did punk rock for years and years, so this time we wanted to do something different, something that isn’t necessarily punk rock, and something fresh and new. We love to add experimental flavor into our music, adding different elements from different genres that we like, such as trip hop, electro, alternative rock etc. So, changing band name was quite inevitable.
Love X Stereo released their debut EP, Buzzin' on December 28, 2011, incorporating elements of electronic music not previously featured in Skrew Attack's music. Subsequent releases have continued to feature heavy use of synthesizers and drum machines, further developing their electro-rock sound.

International Festivals

Awards

  • 2018 Best Music Video: Rage Is Not Enough
  • 2017 Best Music Video: Nominee
  • 2017 Best Dance & Electronic Album of the Year: Nominee
  • K-Rookies 2014 Annual Finals: Runner-Up