Musicians Band Together for Two Wuhan Fundraiser Mixtapes
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While most of us have just about adapted to forced domesticity, the ongoing closure of the country's bars, clubs, and music venues has meant that China's musicians and producers (who were already accustomed to spending long hours at home working in studios) have been even more homebound than usual. While some tried to make the best of the situation by taking their skills online via streamed "cloud" concerts, others hunkered down to work on new music for once the quarantine eventually lifts and they can once again play together live and record.
Never ones to miss a beat, China's enterprising record labels have pooled their resources, creating compilations to help raise money for the ongoing issues faced by medical staff and citizens of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. While disparate in styles and genres, the two compilations below are united in one common goal: to support Wuhan and to give you something to wrap your ears around while stuck inside, hopefully leading to a couple of neat discoveries along the way.
Click 'Read more' below for links to the music.Home Fitness
The aptly titled Home Fitness – something that nearly all of us have at least considered over the past two months if not actually managed to work into our daily quarantine routine – from Beijing-based music collective DCYY pulls together 19 tracks from 20 domestic and foreign producers of techno, dance, and house as well as a couple of noisier numbers.
Beijing entries come from Aled of dance night regulars Bye Bye Disco, whose slow pulsating opener is so tinged in street lamps and moonlight that it can't help but evoke driving at a smooth 100mph around the Fifth Ring Road. Elsewhere, Beijing veteran DJ-turned-toymaker Kaize's "Hiding" layers a disjointed lullaby-like melody with alternating juicy hi-hats and claps, while Most Girls Smell Good's Liquid B provides some welcome mid-point downtime with her minimal synth slow-builder "The Way You Love Me."
The compilation has already raised hundreds of dollars since its release earlier this month, with all proceeds going towards the Firefly Plan for the purchase of protective clothing, diapers, sanitary pads, and other essential items needed by frontline medical staff in Wuhan.
You too can soundtrack your at-home dance workout and support the cause via Bandcamp or read more about the participating artists here (in Chinese).Tapes for Charity
Beijing DIY tape makers Nugget Records, with help from Guangzhou's Qiii Snacks Records and Beijing-based producer thruoutin, have brought together nearly 30 musicians and bands for a full-to-bursting two-cassette mixtape.
The tapes, which are divided by genre (indie-pop leaning vs. electronic), include entries from the aforementioned pipa-wielding producer thruoutin, Beijing's sultry bed rock duo Nocturnes (appearing here as weidu & dawei), and ambient musician and sound artist Fenni.
Money from the project will go to the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, "a non-profit organization that was created during the coronavirus epidemic to aid pets in Wuhan whose humans are stranded outside the city," many of whom have not been able to attend to their pets since leaving for Chinese New Year. Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association then undertook "the work of breaking into homes (with permission), feeding, and caring for these beloved pets."
You can purchase the tapes as a set for RMB 100 or individually for RMB 60 via Nugget Record's Weidian page (scan the QR code below). The tapes went on sale today and have already sold out but will be replenished as quickly as Nugget is able to make them throughout the month, at which point the proceeds will be forwarded to the Small Animal Protection Association.
READ: Bands Go Online to Keep the Music Alive as Gigs Are Canceled Across China
Images courtesy of the labels
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