Waiting for summer with Peach Luffe’s new EP “Honey”

Honey, the dreamy bedroom pop EP by Peach Luffe (LOO-FEE) anticipates its release this Friday, March 8^th. Peach Luffe is the moniker of Jong Lee, a South Korean-born musician currently based in Toronto. Although I listened to Honey for the first time in February, I was transported to a warmer, sweeter time five months from now. Written and recorded in the summer of 2023, this EP truly embodies the experience of spending a sun-drenched afternoon in the grass with a new love.

Short and sweet (like its name), Honey features six songs, beginning with “Quite Like You”. Immediately you can hear the influence of Lee’s classical violin training on Peach Luffe’s sound. The chorus possesses the grandeur of an orchestral climax as violin, guitar, and drums compound to drive the message home that “there’s no one quite like you.” Lee’s lyrics are simple and resonant, crafting an EP perfect for anyone in a new romantic relationship, a long term one, or celebrating friend love.

Jong Lee writes and records all his vocals while showcasing skillful use of violin, keyboard, bass, and guitar.  Released as a single before the EP, ”Honeybee” has an indie rock, almost psychedelic sound that opts for a moodier feel to continue Lee’s love letter. The heavy use of guitar reverb emphasizes the yearning in Lee’s vocals, creating elongated melodies that are artfully accented by the twang of the same guitar. Lush soundscapes are characteristic of Peach Luffe’s musical projects, and we cannot wait to hear the pleasurable sonic spaces that he creates next.

Drawing on the South Korean musical style of K-ballads, Lee fuses with personal experiences and sounds of Toronto’s music scene to carefully craft his own modern ballads. As spring approaches, the dreamy, transportive tracks on Honey are the perfect way to pass time before summer takes over and we can all feel as honey-drenched as Peach Luffe.

All images by Alex Lam, courtesy of the artist