While less heralded than Beijing, Shanghai boasts a robust and eclectic music scene. Despite the city's constant influx and exodus of people, this year has offered a boon of releases from remixed metal to straight-up Mandopop and everything in between. Discover your new favorite local band in this chronological five-part series.
Jade Emperor: Temple of Flying Guillotine I & II
Released: June 25/July 12
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Bandcamp
Style: Hip hop
The mysterious Shanghai hip hop crew released a flurry of releases on Bandcamp this year, including two sagas of their Temple of Flying Guillotine. Laden with kung-fu movie samples and dusty hip hop beats, it’s tailor made for those with a Wu sensibility.
Goushen: 不易滚
Released: July 3
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Douban
Style: Hard Rock
A standout in the city’s rock scene after a couple sterling releases, the Shanghai quartet has persevered despite losing leadsinger Lenz to a Master’s Program in Australia. They’ve rebounded with new singer Teresa Ren, who they discovered at Live Bar. This EP provides a fiery introduction with a sound akin to 1970s classic rock monsters like AC/DC and Thin Lizzy. For more, check out our feature on Goushen.
Apparatus I: Apparatus I
Released: Aug 14
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Huashan Records Bandcamp
Style: Noise
It’s been a busy year for the producer who organizes the Bipolar Showcase nights at Inferno, started the Bipolar Records label spearheads The Other and somehow found time to record this cassette for Huashan Records.
Pinball City: Drunken Boats
Released: Aug 28
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Bandcamp
Style: Hard rock
The rockers have been slowly building a buzz, tirelessly performing at the growing number of local showcase gigs across the city with a sound that mixes noisy post punk riffs with a sneering attitude.
Linfeng: Some Time
Released: Sep 1
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Douban
Style: Chillwave
The former bass player to Shanghai’s much missed garage rock greats Banana Monkey has found new musical life as a DJ and producer. A mainstay with the STD crew, Linfeng is already one of the country’s most popular DJs performing with Boys Noize, at Shanghai Fashion Week and on the Great Wall. With Some Time, he indulges his chill side with smooth keys mixing with low key beats. For more Linfeng, check out his Audaz released mixtape with fellow Shanghai producer Laura Ingalls.
Dirty Fingers: Monkey King
Released: Sep 1
Buy the album: Xiami
Follow: Douban
Style: Garage rock
Formed in university a few years ago, these raucous rockers cut their teeth at Yangpu’s Live Bar before linking up with Goushen who introduced them to the Yuyintang set. Now, their drunk punk menace routinely haunts city’s livehouses. On their debut EP, they give a couple traditional Chinese war songs a sonic makeover, while their original tracks tout the Wasted Orient lifestyle originally espoused by the legendary Beijing band Joyside.
No VPN? Watch the video on Youku. Video by Rachel Gouk.
Future Gaze: EP01
Released: Sep 2
Buy the album: Bandcamp
Follow: Douban
Style: Electronic rock
Rising out of the ashes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, drummer Daniel Nagels and singer Sharon Q have linked up with Acid Pony Club’s Clem Pony to form a Shanghai super group. They’ve crafted a power electronic rock sound that has been backed by highprofile gigs like opening for AV Okubo and Mary Ocher. Not just sonically ambitious, they’re currently in the midst of a South Korea tour to celebrate their debut EP’s release.
For more Sounds of Shanghai, check out: Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Five.
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