CIFIKA, a Seoul-based artist known for her fresh approach to music and visual storytelling, has just unveiled her third studio album, Bonfire. Released on November 19, the album builds on the success of her 2023 sophomore release ION, which earned a nomination for Best Electronic Album at the 2024 Korean Popular Music Awards and won Best Electronic Song for Hush. With Bonfire, CIFIKA ventures into warmer, richer sound while retaining the experimental essence that defines her work.

Made with the help of collaborators such as Nancy Boy, whose credits include BTS’s RM, Seori, and Qim Isle, and Umaka, a talented guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter, Bonfire contains eleven songs that combine electronic, ambient, dream pop, alternative folk, and rock influences. Each song contributes to the album’s exploration of human connection, from the cathartic communal energy of Little Drama, inspired by the imagery of a drumming boy, to the intimate, tender vulnerability of tracks like Brush and If I Could Be.

The album’s title track, Bonfire, lies at the heart of its emotional strength. Rooted in themes of unity and survival, it features the voices of CIFIKA’s close friends in the chorus, bringing the comfort of gathering around a fire during life’s challenges. The song’s drum-machine-driven rhythm and dystopian undertones speak to the challenges of finding authenticity in today’s fragmented world, offering a touching call for solidarity and self-discovery. Other songs include Heart Piece Collector, a dream-pop track layered with shoegaze-inspired textures and operatic vocals, and Totem, a calm outro that ties the album together by reflecting on the intertwined nature of fate and emotion.

Ahead of the release, CIFIKA treated 300 fans to an intimate live session in Seoul, where she performed the entire album as a band set. Fans worldwide will have the chance to experience this live session when the performance video is released on November 20 via CIFIKA’s YouTube channel.

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