Gig Recap: 44OUT Festival Part 2 (2020.07.18)

44KW’s ’44OUT’ party – an ambitious three-course festival that showcases 44 groups of creators of all variety – bands, producers, DJs, sound artists, engineers, graphic designers, etc. – kicked continued last Saturday at the BFC overlooking The Bund. Essentially, a 6th-floor office block party complete with a rooftop electronic stage, vendors, art installations, and of course some top-notch live music.

After thirty minutes of getting lost in a mall and finding our way to the new entrance to the rooftop, we finally made it upstairs to take in Wang Changcun’s set. Man’s an animal live – and while his set veered away from his more IDM tendencies, instead, leaning into hard techno, it was nevertheless an invigorating one – an electronically kinetic, acid-laced delight – that had some hardcore club-goers getting in an early start.

Up next were Mirrors and there’s not much to add to what’s already been said about them in the past (three times in two months is pushing it) – they’re downright feral in their tenacity and musicianship — possessed by a need to shock and leave your ears buzzing.

We closed out our evening (before spilling over in full-on rambunctiousness) with a set from Kunming’s South Acid Mimi – the trio of ladies with a penchant for tropical synth-drunk hues, proto-new age antics, riot-grrrr punk attitude and pulsating electronica. They’ve softened their edges over the years but there’s no denying the alluring and dense soundscapes conjured up by them.

So there you go – 44OUT day two down – one more to go. Onwards!

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