Here are three new homegrown albums from musicians around China on our radar this month.
1. Out of the Fog by Demerit
With a poetic reputation as the “elder statesmen of the Beijing punk scene,” Demerit was founded by Qingdao native Spike, who moved to the capital when he was still in high school. A self-described mix of “thrash, street punk, hardcore and crossover metal,” one of the band’s signatures is Spike’s exaggerated, almost Cookie Monster-like rasp. Their third full-length effort, Out of the Fog, is catchy and invigorating, especially early tracks like ‘Barefaced Lies and Bullshit Peace.’ ‘New Generation Genocide’ is a stripped-down folk track that still retains the band’s signature swagger and battle cry lyrics. Creepy chanting at the end of ‘Childhood Nightmare’ lead into the unexpected reggae beat of ‘Boys Are Coming Back,’ complete with a nod to Bob Marley in a refrain of “No boy, no cry.” The title track closes the album with a suitably symphonic metal sendoff. Overall, the impressive range of sounds makes Out of the Fog a thoroughly enjoyable listen, while still staying true to the band’s “righteously furious” roots.
2. Nein or Gas Mus by Nein or Gas Mus
Qiii Snacks Records stays close to home with their latest release, the self-titled debut EP from Guangzhou trio Nein or Gas Mus. A reflexively self-aware take on emo mixed with math rock, the five-song EP is both playful and emotionally affecting, in part thanks the wry, fried-sounding female vocals. The opener track, ‘thin ice’ is the strongest, a bittersweet and contemplative math rock track, followed by the bouncier, more upbeat ‘1st.’ The trio already has a solid following in Guangzhou, and they describe their songs as having “a good BGM to cry along to while counting the beats.” The album art by Nichi is a great indicator of the tone of the music – the distraught little guy is clearly having a rough day, but the drawing style and his kooky surroundings will likely make you smile. The same is true of the emotive core and playful trappings of these songs.
3. Metta Muzik, Vol 2 by Various Artists
A Shenzhen-based label showcasing drum & bass producers in Asia, Mettasonic releases their second compilation album this month, featuring producers from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tokyo. The tracks bring a unique sensibility to the genre, channeling the futuristic, fast-paced metropolises where many of its producers reside. This is evident in a common denominator of droning sci-fi background noises, especially the blips and haunted vocal sounds of ‘Dialectics,’ the otherworldly bells of ‘Ternery,’ and a vocal sample from The Matrix in ‘C.E. 2300.’ The album is split somewhat unnecessarily into a ‘local’ side and ‘laowai’ side; both sections open with frenetic tracks that are solidly drum & bass (Bilson Flewit’s ‘Prepare for War’ and Adam3’s ‘Miracle of Life’), and then move into more genre-blending stuff later on. Our personal favorite is Beijing producer SPYFI’s ‘Loushiming,’ which is sci-fi with a somewhat evil-sounding retro-future synth overlay and a banging outro in the final minute.
More info here: www.Mettasonic.com
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