HINT – False Command Math rock with a digital edge, Guangzhou’s HINT is the latest act to join the math rock resurgence that seems to be making its way across China. While not falling as far down the computer-enhanced rabbit hole as acts like GriffO, there is a refreshing glitch-inflicted sheen to the band’s sound that elevates their already intricate high-wire arrangements. Deft, spry, and good fun, HINT still have a ways to go on their ascent to the top, but their debut is a great introduction and proves that they’re not messing around. 来自广州的 HINT ..read more

2024 A Bunch of Noise 一把噪音 – SYSTEM 2024.4.04-06 Another year, another ‘Bunch of Noise’…My mind kept wandering over to a quote posted by one of the attendees in the lead-up to the two-day festival – ‘noise is the only sentiment that reminds me of freedom’. I think as I’ve gotten older my brain has strived to engage with my surroundings in more acute ways – to be shocked, moved, and even befuddled – and noise and experimental music seems to have filled that void.  Pure expression, abstract exploration, or just unhinged anarchy – there’s both a visceral quality and a liberated affect ..read more

Horse Radio – One Day Inner Mongolian Beijing-based outfit Horse Radio return with a new single – the buoyant and exploratory ‘One Day’. The band continues to inject elements of krautrock, psychedelic music, electronica and experimental tones into their ancestor music – giving them room to breathe and allowing them to chart their own course. The video is full of gorgeous vistas of the Mongolian grasslands. Steve Rocks – I CAN BE YOUR FRANKENSTEIN 88risng electronic producer and musician Steve Rocks, also known as the rocker and vocalist behind synthpop outfit Brides Crisis新娘危机, brings his lo ..read more

WaChi 蛙池 – VAS 2024.4.02 Over the past year WaChi has become one of the indie scene’s most sought after acts – attracting fans with their impassioned lyrics, soaring melodies, and intrepid spirit. Not always the most striking, but it’s clear the band has struck a chord with young audiences.  WaChi kicked off a hefty nationwide tour last month – selling up shows across the country, including two nights at Shanghai’s VAS. I popped in just before the holiday to soak in the vibes. The band has always had this radiant aura to their sound – it’s both light on its feet and in its instrumentati ..read more

Kagami Smile – The Cycle Cannot Be Reversed Ambient techno via Midwest-born, Shenzhen-based producer Kagami Smile – whose latest release with Guangzhou electronic label Jyugam is a masterclass of audial design. Both mood setter and rave appetizer – the sonic vignettes within the producer’s new EP – The Cycle Cannot Be Reversed – finds an evocative, at times overbearing, balance between its hazy, busting-at-the-seams ambience and its pulsating noise-triggered beats – touching on everything from vaporware to shoegaze in the process. A trip well worth taking.  出生于美国中西部、住在深圳的电子音乐制作人 Kagami S ..read more

 The 16th Floor 16层乐队 – Enjoy Eating 大快朵颐 Soundtracking urban life across seven emotionally fraught canvases, post rock outfit The 16th Floor packs quite the punch on their sophomore LP, Enjoy Eating, released with Modern Sky. With each track acting essential as a story (even cult film favorite Leon The Professional gets its own soundtrack) there’s a narrative thrust to how their songs build, crescendoing into moments of cathartic release that you’d be hard-pressed not to be moved by. While remnants of the post rock forefathers are still sewn into The 16th Floor’s sonic palette, the pote ..read more

YADAE 鸭打鹅 – Night Gloss 夜光 Shanghai indie outfit YADAE, led by Han Han and Wu Shanmin returns with their latest cosmic jam Night Gloss. The long-standing band continues their descent into the lush world of funk, soul, and electro jazz —adding a simmering psychedelic edge and an elegant classical touch. While the tonal shifts in their previous outing were jarring, Night Gloss finds the band on steadier footing, more assured in their cosmic tapestry of nocturnal grooves, deft instrumentation, and futuristic jazz, even giving air to some of their indie rock roots. Geeky in the best possible way ..read more

Schnellertollermeier, LYSOMA – Yuyintang 育音堂/Yuyintang Park 育音堂音乐公园 2024.3.28 Swiss trio Schnellertollermeier came through Yuyintang Park last Thursday courtesy of emerging promoters SoundFact – churning out heady mix of krautrock, math rock, and ambient noise for well over an hour. Truly invigorating music – simple in its framework but endlessly imaginative in its assembly – a magic trick of sorts with multiple layers that slowly reveal themselves. Every riff and grove seems to generate surprise and wonder – and I think the dead silent crowd was simply in too much awe to really get moving ..read more

The Grinding Ear 逆耳 – Endless Dream Tide 无尽梦潮  Beijing’s The Grinding Ear has floating around the capital for well over a decade – often cited as one of the unsung heroes of the post rock scene. And while the band called it quits for a bit, they came back stronger than ever in the past few years, a reawakening that has resulted in one of the best new albums in the genre. From the propulsive drive tethered to ‘Time Diver’ to narrative charge; the musical heft of ‘Escape Scene 逃亡景’; and the evocative and resonating ‘最后一个邮递员’ – the band has no issue steering the ship across multiple canvass ..read more

SHOT, Dizzy Dizzy Yellow Puppy, UNTERWASSER 在水下 – SYSTEM系统 2024.3.22 While normally considered an electronic club, SYSTEM has in the past put on plenty of live events. And from the sound of it, they’re looking to get back into the habit. Which I’m all for – cause as far as atmosphere goes SYSTEM is one of the best nightlife spots to visit – a concrete utopia that always seems up for some fun. And what better acts to bring through there than an assortment of post punk, electronic and cold wave acts. This was my debut with synth rock trio SHOT – who use their minimal set-up to great degree – c ..read more