Dream pop, post punk anthems, zen hip hop, jazzy compositions, geopolitical punk, and all natural EDM – here’s some more releases from the month of July that got my ears ecstatic including new albums from Goodbye Honey Boy, FAZI, and Tang Renti.
Goodbye Honey Boy – Daydreaming Days
Described as a musical collective of producers, musicians, visual artists, and writers – the dream pop trio Goodbye Honey Boy come out swinging on their sultry debut EP Daydreaming Days. With an atmosphere that’s particularly dripping in honey, the release which sports influences from Brain Eno to Beach House to Deerhunter, is a dizzying concoction that hits all the right notes. Between Wumako Xiao’s airy voice, guitarist Tong Zhou’s bruised guitar strings, and Qiufan Qu’s ethereal production, it’s a delicate piece of art that sinks in deep. A bittersweet delight that stings.
Bandcamp: https://goodbyehoneyboy.bandcamp.com/album/daydreaming-days
Xiami:http://www.xiami.com/album/2102742916
FAZI法兹 – Heart of Desire欲望之心
Xi’an based melodic post punk outfit Fazi (formerly The Fuzz before the music copyright fuzz had their way) continue exploring the universal struggles on their third LP – Heart of Desire – a stirring indie rock anthem that’ll surely resonate with anyone whose ever felt lost in the metropolis of life. That fleeting sentimental allure is very much present throughout the album. In fact, it’s the foundation of it – as much of the album was recorded on the road during their nation wide tour, in makeshift studios in Taipei, Xiamen, Dalian, Wuhan, and Xi’an, where the band even invited local artists to collaborate and join in on the process. And while there is a slight sense of diminishing returns with Fazi’s output, and they can lean a bit too much into sentimentality, the band’s bluntness works in its favor for the most part.
Bandcamp: https://wearefazi.bandcamp.com/album/heart-of-desire
Xiami: http://www.xiami.com/song/bqwSmYe3aa0e
Tang Renti唐人踢 – Mind-Over-Beats
Kunming based hip-hop artist and producer Tang Renti – who has collaborated with some of China’s best underground hip hop artists including j-fever, Chacha, and itsogoo, continues to find solace in the intersection of downtempo hip hop and the sounds of retro China in Mind-Over-Beats, a collection of meditative ambient hip hop instrumentals. While it’s more so a resume building – a calling card to rappers and artists looking to collaborate, there’s something invigorating about the zen mindset that overwhelms the release and coincidentally my senses. I need more of this in my life.
Xiami: http://www.xiami.com/album/2102797143
Be the first to comment