What's New is a recurring column that looks at the new films, music, books and DVD releases in and/or about Chinese mainland
New Film: The Angry Birds Movie
The hugely popular game gets a film telling how three outcast birds (Red, Chuck and Bomb) unravel the sudden arrival of mysterious green piggies to their happy island. Opens nationwide on May 20.
New Film: The Divergent Series - Allegiant
In the third installment of the sci-fi franchise (but first in the two-part finale), Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) must escape the carnage of their hometown of Chicago for the first time where they must make impossible choices to save their city from war. Opens nationwide on May 20.
New Music: Wang Wen - Sweet, Home Go
With 16 years in the game, Wang Wen would be excused for resting on their laurels. However, on their ninth disc, the Dalian post-rock giants show off plenty of new flourishes from math-rock rhythms to the use of violin and cello. Recorded at Dalian Grand Theatre, Sweet, Home Go boasts an impressively darker atmospheric edge. Available at Xiami. For more, check out our feature on Wang Wen who bring their national tour to Beijing on May 21-22.
New Music: J-Fever, Tangrenti, ChaCha - Strangers to Shanghai
Three of China's top emcees team up for this love letter to Shanghai. Often referred to as "China's best freestlye rapper," J-Fever has been at the top of his game for awhile, consistently releasing acclaimed discs including last year's standout collaboration with Soulspeak, Colour Blind. Yunnan based Tangrenti has been making waves nationally with his abstract hip-hop style, while ChaCha is already a Shanghai legend, most recently absolutely shutting it down at the recent record-setting Boiler Room China. Available at Jadecraft's Bandcamp.
New Books: David Moser - A Billion Voices
As the world’s most widely spoken language, Mandarin has a long and rich legacy that’s explored by David Moser in A Billion Voices. The Academic Director of CET Chinese Studies at Beijing Capital Normal University tells the story of the unlikely individuals that altered the course of Chinese language. The Penguin China special mini-book will be available from Penguin Books from May 23.
For past What's New columns, click here.
Have a tip about a new release? Get in touch at arts@urbanatomy.com with the subject 'What's New.'
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