Following the release of their fantastic sophomore full-length A Hermitage, South Korean group Jambinai performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in the city of Pyeongchang, where they were surrounded by dozens of musicians playing the geomungo (a stringed instrument in the zither family) as well as synchronized dancers. While the increased presence of traditional instruments emphasized the folk elements of Jambinai's sound, their usual aggressive, angular rock attack was undiluted, likely disturbing and befuddling countless international viewers. The band's third album, ONDA, expands on the sound of their previous two, balancing delicate arrangements of ancient instruments with unsettlingly loud guitars and driving rhythms. The contrast between the textures can seem jarring, but the group display remarkable dynamic control, and all of the elements combine to form turbulent, emotionally gripping compositions which command attention. Vocals are more prominent this time around, and they range from the cathartic screaming of "Sun. Tears. Red" to the sparse, distraught cries of "Small Consolation." Song titles "Sawtooth" and "Square Wave" point to the influence of electronic music, but rather than employ synthesizers or attempt to emulate the variety of tones that they generate, Jambinai instead play with a sort of machine-like precision, yet one that has a natural, human flow to it. The band's most ambitious piece to date is the 13-minute "In the Woods," a haunting, semi-operatic epic which slowly builds up swarming acoustic parts before a torrent of guitar distortion kicks in. Overall, Jambinai's third album is both grander and more restrained than its predecessors, achieving a vast, wide-open sound that is equally focused and direct.