Summer may be on its way out here but there’s still time left to find that perfect summer jam – whether nu jazz, hardcore, bubbly hip hop or 8-bit Taoist chaos is your mix, we’ve got it covered. Here are the latest releases from Soulspeak and TTechmak, Spill Your Guts, Wootacc and Marukao, and Guiguisuisui.
Guiguisuisui, the once one-man retro zombie blues musical acrobat, has always been known to shift his musical soundscapes like a ADHD-ridden third grader. And now with the addition of his significant other, known in the GGSS world as Lady Chakra, the duo pile drive even further into new territory with reckless glee and wonder on their latest EP, Wu Xing. For fans of the old, ruffled, fire breathing punk attire of Guiguisuisui, this may be a drastic departure for some. This is Guiguisuisui in meditative Taoist state of mind, more eager to take the long road, and plunge listeners in an atmospheric wasteland that’s both hauntingly beautiful and strikingly uncertain. But again, therein lies the beauty of Guiguisuisui – their ability to endlessly explore new territories and drop listeners into a new world to lose themselves in. Special props must be given to the contributing remix artists (Lastboss, thruoutin, Dee) who take the duo’s unwavering imagination and run with it. We may have no idea where the duo will run to next with their sound but count me in. Bandcamp.
Hardcore gets a facelift in Spill Your Guts’ merciless new EP, Full Blast. The Shanghai outfit which formed in 2012, are firing on all cylinders on their five track release, which comes at your speakers fast and furious, aggressive and taut, and not afraid to spill blood (and guts of course) along the way. Love the attention to detail and how the instrumentals play just as big a role in the songs as the socially conscious lyrics which take every opportunity to knock down the ‘zombies’ of the world before heading back into full throttle, head to the wall, fist pumping rallying. Hardcore. Bandcamp.
Beijing label Ran Music has come out with the perfect summer album with their latest release, Love in the Land of Robots, a collaboration between Beijing electronic music veteran Soulspeak (aka Kai-Luen) and Shanghai based Australian trumpet player / producer TTechmak (aka Toby Mak). It’s downright intoxicating in its lush, downtempo atmosphere that’s hard to shake loose. A mood piece through and through, the two esteemed artists set the vibe and keep the good times coming over the eight tracks. It’s jazz with an electronic heart, electronica with the soul of jazz – the album finds the sweet spot where the two meet and then builds from there. Summer has never sounded sexier. Bandcamp.
Jinhua hip hop label Groove Bunny Records gets in on the summer vibes with their latest dance party courtesy of Beijing-based rapper Wootacc and producer Marukao. Zhaojiuwanwu 朝酒丸舞, finds the Jilin raised Korean-Chinese rapper keeping the up-beat amongst the bubbly, humid beats from Marukao that sound like it’s being filtered through a glass of cold beer (and goes down like one too). Wootacc’s free flowing stream of conscious rapping, with references to everything from Cosplay to Mona Lisa, fits perfectly with the blurred atmosphere that hangs loose and keeps the drinks coming. Grab it on cassette over at bandcamp.
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