alternative china

'alternative china' links to articles in english about the new music scenes springing up all over china. composed by australasian diy music specialist shaun/tenzenmen (http://www.tenzenmen.com)

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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor

 

BEST RECORDS OF OUR WATER DRAGON 2012 On the day of the God Of Wealth we want to start a celebration of pride, our selection of the best albums and EPs made in China during  the Dragon. We never did this before, now we know we were waiting for the Dragon to wake up, and he certainly did, it was  a lovely year for music. The production of records made in China, to enjoy by good listeners, grew greatly. Many good albums and EPs were released during the Dragon. We can hear the result of years of work, it’s not just that the Dragon woke up, but that good popular music is emerging from China each year stronger, still many people are skeptical about the power of this beast, but we, at Layabozi, have no doubts about it. We are hearing it.

BEST RECORDS OF OUR WATER DRAGON 2012

On the day of the God Of Wealth we want to start a celebration of pride, our selection of the best albums and EPs made in China during  the Dragon.

We never did this before, now we know we were waiting for the Dragon to wake up, and he certainly did, it was  a lovely year for music. The production of records made in China, to enjoy by good listeners, grew greatly. Many good albums and EPs were released during the Dragon. We can hear the result of years of work, it’s not just that the Dragon woke up, but that good popular music is emerging from China each year stronger, still many people are skeptical about the power of this beast, but we, at Layabozi, have no doubts about it. We are hearing it.

NAOHAI NAOHAI EP Naohai is the first work released by the homonymous band. Naohai started in 2010 as a fan band of Nezha, the early name of The Gar, formed by Zhao Shuang(drums), Chen Hao (bass), and Qi Jinlong (guitar and vocals). In 2011 they successfully joined Shanghai’s rock circuit, playing on many shows where they established as a band with a solid style, seriously dedicated to their music.

NAOHAI NAOHAI EP

Naohai is the first work released by the homonymous band. Naohai started in 2010 as a fan band of Nezha, the early name of The Gar, formed by Zhao Shuang(drums), Chen Hao (bass), and Qi Jinlong (guitar and vocals). In 2011 they successfully joined Shanghai’s rock circuit, playing on many shows where they established as a band with a solid style, seriously dedicated to their music.

Listen To BIRDSTRIKING “MAGPIE” Birdstriking from Beijing have been together since 2009, this year they released their first LP, the self-titled album was released under Maybe Mars label. Birdstriking is formed by He Fan (guitar) of Carsick Cars fame, Zhou Nairen (bass), Wang Xinjiu(drums).

Listen To BIRDSTRIKING “MAGPIE”

Birdstriking from Beijing have been together since 2009, this year they released their first LP, the self-titled album was released under Maybe Mars label. Birdstriking is formed by He Fan (guitar) of Carsick Cars fame, Zhou Nairen (bass), Wang Xinjiu(drums).

“90′s” is the fifth song of Silly’s Ballad the latest album released by Xiao He.

The more I listen to Xiao He’s music the more convinced I am that he is one of the best producers of beats and loops that I’ve heard. His beats have soul, and his loops, subtle textures welcoming you to be his accomplice. His music is rooted in folk, and folk doesn’t deal with the anxiety that lives in rock or electronic music, folk music is connected with the inner calm of rural spaces, and their silence. I imagine Xiao He’s relationship with silence is the the thick canvas for his alluring loops and beats, that are not produced just with electronic machines.

“90′s” is a perfect song to make my case. Over ten minutes of a looping beat centered on a couple of notes rotating around themselves, and so it goes, and it goes, and it goes. And Xiao He sings, languid and gentle, childish and manly, and childish again he goes about love and misfortune, about narcissist manipulations, and about resignation. And the song goes on, looping on the same compasses over and over again, like a surrendered waltz.

from Layabozi.com

RAINBOW DANGER CLUB ON TOUR In the last few years, Shanghai has a developed a thriving live music scene. From a few local venues and musicians has sprung an assortment of music-centric clubs, DJs, musicians, bands and media that create, support and promote Shanghai music. The Shanghai music scene holds its own not only against Beijing, but it’s also gaining a growing presence around the world as a spot for original and inventive independent music. This is due in no small part to the bands and musicians in Shanghai who are made up of and aimed towards foreigners in the city, giving Shanghai-based music a chance to compete with other English language music around the world. Bands likeRainbow Danger Club—a progressive rock quartet of foreigners who all met in Shanghai—is one of several prominent bands currently doing well in Shanghai.Rainbow Danger Club has been a regular fixture on the Shanghai indie music scene since they came together in 2009, playing shows regularly in Shanghai and around China, releasing albums, and now planning their first American tour.

RAINBOW DANGER CLUB ON TOUR

In the last few years, Shanghai has a developed a thriving live music scene. From a few local venues and musicians has sprung an assortment of music-centric clubs, DJs, musicians, bands and media that create, support and promote Shanghai music. The Shanghai music scene holds its own not only against Beijing, but it’s also gaining a growing presence around the world as a spot for original and inventive independent music. This is due in no small part to the bands and musicians in Shanghai who are made up of and aimed towards foreigners in the city, giving Shanghai-based music a chance to compete with other English language music around the world. Bands likeRainbow Danger Club—a progressive rock quartet of foreigners who all met in Shanghai—is one of several prominent bands currently doing well in Shanghai.Rainbow Danger Club has been a regular fixture on the Shanghai indie music scene since they came together in 2009, playing shows regularly in Shanghai and around China, releasing albums, and now planning their first American tour.

HEDGEHOG’S ZO Layabozi came out early to welcome Beijing beasts Hedgehog and chat a little bit after their sound check. We got to sit down with Zo, the band’s lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter. It was a fun little conversation wherein Zo held court about the band’s inner dynamics, the backlash against Honeyed and Killed, the new album’s triumph, former bassist Box’s departure, his opinions on past and current bands, and whyHedgehog is now independent as fuck, among other things. We even touched on a few sore subjects he didn’t really want to talk about, but he was a good sport about it.

HEDGEHOG’S ZO

Layabozi came out early to welcome Beijing beasts Hedgehog and chat a little bit after their sound check. We got to sit down with Zo, the band’s lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter. It was a fun little conversation wherein Zo held court about the band’s inner dynamics, the backlash against Honeyed and Killed, the new album’s triumph, former bassist Box’s departure, his opinions on past and current bands, and whyHedgehog is now independent as fuck, among other things. We even touched on a few sore subjects he didn’t really want to talk about, but he was a good sport about it.

HEDGEHOG NEW ALBUM AND 2012 CHINA TOUR Nice news kids. One of our favorite bands, and one of the biggest bands from China is releasing new album, and announcing tour dates. Get ready to party with yaogun.

HEDGEHOG NEW ALBUM AND 2012 CHINA TOUR

Nice news kids. One of our favorite bands, and one of the biggest bands from China is releasing new album, and announcing tour dates. Get ready to party with yaogun.

DABAOGE VISUAL SONGS DaBaoGe, is one more nice music project in China, “a song you sing while you’re packing up”, will be one year on line on March. They just released their eleventh portable show featuring Mr.Graceless. Recently I contacted them to get to know them better, and not only I learnt more of their motivations but also I confirmed that they are as nice and simple as the idea they are producing, which is pretty lovely. Before jumping to the interview we had via email, let me encourage you to take the time to go to their site, if you haven’t yet, and take break from the speed of your life, and feed yourself with friendly art.

DABAOGE VISUAL SONGS

DaBaoGe, is one more nice music project in China, “a song you sing while you’re packing up”, will be one year on line on March. They just released their eleventh portable show featuring Mr.Graceless.

Recently I contacted them to get to know them better, and not only I learnt more of their motivations but also I confirmed that they are as nice and simple as the idea they are producing, which is pretty lovely.

Before jumping to the interview we had via email, let me encourage you to take the time to go to their site, if you haven’t yet, and take break from the speed of your life, and feed yourself with friendly art.

DUCK FIGHT GOOSE IN MUSIC We met with Duck Fight Goose (all of them) weeks ago after they played a show inYuyinTang, before they released their new album, Sports. Han Han and I had talked a lot about music through the years we know each other. Somehow without clearly mention it we know we share a common understating of music, exalting music to a mystic relevance, but we never really have talked much about this specifically. Now having also all the guys of the band there, plus Ox, and our crew there, all music lovers of course, this exaltation of music touched ground and became a bit more explicit. I wanted to have this talk with Duck Fight Goose long ago because when I’m listening to their music, specially on their live performances, I feel in their sound their search in music, how music affects their life, their vision of things, and how then their music is affected by the changes that they are experiencing, and then  the same sound that the musicians are producing bouncing back at them, and affecting them again. To me Duck Fight Goose is a band with a personality that doesn’t interfere with their music, they are all about music. Their connections and disconnections are easy to listen in their music. You could see when they are on the stage that they don’t hide, don’t attack, don’t pose, don’t act, don’t show off, don’t try to be anything they are not, they are who they are anywhere their music takes them. It’s all about their strength, and them being naturally musical.

DUCK FIGHT GOOSE IN MUSIC

We met with Duck Fight Goose (all of them) weeks ago after they played a show inYuyinTang, before they released their new album, Sports.

Han Han and I had talked a lot about music through the years we know each other. Somehow without clearly mention it we know we share a common understating of music, exalting music to a mystic relevance, but we never really have talked much about this specifically. Now having also all the guys of the band there, plus Ox, and our crew there, all music lovers of course, this exaltation of music touched ground and became a bit more explicit.

I wanted to have this talk with Duck Fight Goose long ago because when I’m listening to their music, specially on their live performances, I feel in their sound their search in music, how music affects their life, their vision of things, and how then their music is affected by the changes that they are experiencing, and then  the same sound that the musicians are producing bouncing back at them, and affecting them again.

To me Duck Fight Goose is a band with a personality that doesn’t interfere with their music, they are all about music. Their connections and disconnections are easy to listen in their music. You could see when they are on the stage that they don’t hide, don’t attack, don’t pose, don’t act, don’t show off, don’t try to be anything they are not, they are who they are anywhere their music takes them. It’s all about their strength, and them being naturally musical.