The Best Chinese Albums of 2018 So Far
With the arrival of 2018.6, the time is ripe to pause and take a look back at some of our favorite mainland Chinese albums to grace our ears so far, releases that enraptured us and had our earworms wiggling in delight. Whether it was sun-soaked dream pop, blistering post-punk, electro-acoustic meanderings, post-apocalyptic club bangers, middle-finger-flicking ska punk, or retrowave odysseys, there’s a little something for everyone searching for a fresh summer jam. In no particular order:
While shoegaze has been seeping into the nation’s consciousness for quite some time, there hasn’t been a band to break through as boldly as Zoogazer has done with their full-length via Qiii Snacks Records. Hailing from Xuzhou, Jiangsu, the band has crafted a collection of infectious sun-drenched pop songs that reverberate with a heady scraping of noise bolstered by the crackling of youthful energy. This is dream pop to fall punch-drunk in love with.
Maybe Mars is having a hell of a year – besides the hotly anticipated debut from Beijing’s Backspace, the independent label has overseen releases from street punk stalwarts Demerit and Chengdu post-punk trailblazers Hiperson. However, none have hit as hard as Lonely Leary’s blistering debut – a down and dirty cesspool of paranoid angst, cool-headed melodies, jagged edges, and pummelling post-punk mania that perfectly capture the band’s live raw energy.
Amidst prominent lineup changes and their brush with mainstream stardom, it’s a relief that The Hormones (lead singer Zhu Mengdie pictured above), the all-female indie rock band out of Chengdu, have managed to retain their edge. More of a relief is just how catchy the band’s debut is – a tightly wound, expertly produced album of somber dance punk that finds the four-piece renewed with a newfound maturity.
Beijing-based singer-songwriter and producer Fishdoll mesmerizes on her new beautifully realized LP – a piece of old-school jazztronica layered to the tee with inebriating flourishes, a tribute to soulful trip-hop that’s buoyant, lush, and rich with detail that plays out like a day trip to ‘90s era New York City through the lens of our increasingly globalized world. Put on Noonsense and what you get is a vibrant swirl of styles and grooves that overwhelms the senses and intoxicates.
Zafka, aka Zhang Anding, is a Beijing-based sound artist, experimental musician, and “youth culture expert.” His latest release, out of Shanghai’s emerging play rec label, is buoyant with charm and sophistication. Despite the dance-floor-ready sounds which make up The Abraham’s Machine, it’s hardly a compilation of club bangers. Instead, it takes a remarkably restrained approach to riding each new flourish that comes its way with assured ease and playful splicing, like a modern day Phantom of the Opera put through a vaporwave prism.
For a full list of albums, tap "Read more" at the bottom.
Images: LiveBeijingMusic.com, courtesy of the labels
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