On the Record: Get to Know Hedgehog Ahead of Their New Release
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On the Record is your guide to the past, present, and future of Beijing's music scene.
Name: Hedgehog
Current Lineup: ZO (Guitar/Vocals), Fun (Bass), Atom (Drum/Vocal)
Established: 2005
Records: 9
Label(s): Zha Records, Modern Sky, Tai He
Influences: The Raveonettes, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure, Neu!
Stream: Website, Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, Douban, Weiboadvertisement
15 years and nine albums later, Hedgehog is better than ever
Who are they: Admittedly, to try and sum Hedgehog up in a few words is a fool’s errand, but here goes nothin'. The band was on the frontlines of a burgeoning underground Beijing rock scene that began taking shape in the early-00s. Ever since, they’ve consistently reinvented themselves, displaying a tireless work ethic evidenced by the volume of work they’ve produced and an unending quest to push the limits of their own creativity.
Their 2006 debut, Happy Idle Kid, is a love letter to Blur and Oasis with Nirvana-esque flirtations thrown in for good measure. By 2009’s Blue Daydreaming, guitarist ZO had become well-versed in twangy guitar tones ala Johnny Marr and makes good use of them throughout the album, while continuing the proud tradition of early-90s brit-pop (minus most of the grunge and overt angst that was present on their debut). On the other hand, Honeyed and Killed, released in 2011, would’ve been a welcome addition to any US college rock radio station’s repertoire in the 90s, finding a fitting home alongside bands like The Pixies and Pavement. In 2014, Hedgehog had grown more introspective, releasing a spate of palatial jams under the banner Phantom Pop Star, their most experimental effort to date.
With their latest record, A New Born White Immortal slated for release this month it’s anyone’s guess what direction they’ll go, but rest assured they’ll do it damn well. Speaking to Rock In China in 2008, the band described their melodies as being rooted in old Chinese music while their style and aesthetic are more influenced by modern rock acts, a fact that is manifested in their penchant for using English and Mandarin lyrics. Whatever the recipe, however, the result is always a decadent aural confection and a perfect entry point for anyone who wants to gorge themselves on the sweet sweet sounds of Beijing’s indie rock scene
READ: COVID-19 Lessons Learned, and Forgotten, With Poetry x Music's Anthony Tao
Images: Hedgehog
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