MV Monday: Ajinai, Zhang Qiang, Djang San, The Wonton Don

Holy Fuck two nights in a row and now it’s a mess of a Monday. So happy I’m allocated Monday as the new Sunday as it’s time to throw on some music videos for yours and mines viewing pleasure – here’s the latest bit of MV goodness from Mongolian folk artist Ajinai, crazed Frenchmen Djang San, New Pants with 80s disco queen Zhang Qiang, and The Wonton Don. Enjoy.

While Hanggai rake in all the hype and fame, people forget that Ajinai, the Beijing-based Mongolian folk outfit, have carved out quite a collection of lush material since their formation in 2009, with a focus more on creating a new dialogue using their background (and an endless array of instruments) instead of having it keep them rooted in tradition. The MV above, for their single entitled ‘Grass’, shot in Denmark, captures that spirit perfectly, highlighting the juxtaposition of the bands organic sound against vacant buildings and cold structures. Nice – catch the band kick off the new year with a show at Jianghu Bar, January 4^th.

Disco rockers New Pants catalogue of work is so delightfully infused with disco era glam, almost to the point of oversaturation – I’m glad they’ve stuck to their guns though as they remain one of the scenes more vital bands. The band has collaborated with 80s disco queen Zhang Qiang, a megastar whose work in the 80s and 90s was heavily influenced by the influx of western pop stars, for this bit of disco bliss. New Pants frontman Leng Pei, a filmmaker just as well, directs the MV with some seriously slick precision as well as a fondness for the devices most audiences who first listened to Zhang Qiang. So yeah, pretty dope.

As I mentioned last week Djang San is one talented son of a bitch – the multi—faceted artist keeps one upping himself, leaving me excited for whatever next in store – well, if this trailer for the artists’ upcoming album Music Dumplings is any indication, we might be in for a treat. A Technicolor psychedelic journey through Beijing’s streets with the mad hatter himself donning what looks like Tum Tum’s mask from 3 Ninjas. It’s a blissful four minute head trip, with some pretty niffy lo-fi effects (shot by Sebastien Mahon) which literally turn the artist into a cartoon character. And that music – color me intrigued by what Djang San is cooking.

Let’s end of this bit of madness – ‘Donnie Does’ is a series of videos staring a very Bostonian expat living in Shanghai. Not sure how I feel about these videos but hey, if there’s a market for this kind of thing, swing away. Anywho, Donnie has joined forces with DJ-producer ConRank, a well-known figure on the scene down south, to create this bombastic (soon to be viral hit?) MV for The Wonton Don – Goose In My Basket. Words cannot express. Much credit to Alessio Avezzano who shoots the shit out of this thing. Shanghai man, fucking Shanghai.