New Releases: Supermarket, Luv Plastik x Nano Zoo, Our Secret World, Park

EDM-infused soundscapes, Beijing’s rowdiest garage rockers getting the remix treatment, a dreampop tribute to one of UK’s most influential labels, and another post rock up and comer – yup, we’ve got quite the array of ear worms for you to climb into. Here’s the latest from Supermarket, Luv Plastik and Nano Zoo, Park, and Full Label and Boring Productions’ compilation album, Our Secret World.

Long-standing Beijing electronica outfit Supermarket, one of Modern Sky’s first signed acts, return with their seventh album, Limited Unlimited, and it finds the group digging back into EDM’s glory days of the 90s, building upon lush minimalist piano work, and chock full of glitchy mayhem. Some serious deep rhythms, trip hop grooves, and downtempo club house jams, it’s an eclectic collection of soundscapes that chooses atmosphere over substance, and one that at once feels retro yet utterly necessary amongst all the over-saturated electronica out there at the moment. It isn’t going to blow up the electronic scene or anything, but for you minimalist purists out there, this just might be the autumn ear teaser to get you through winter. Tear into Supermarket’s latest on their xiami page.

Here’s one of the strangest collaborations I’ve heard this year – Beijing based British noise funk outfit Luv Plastik are back with their second helping of fuzz-smeared garage rock and they’ve brought some interesting company with them. The 12’ vinyl which highlights four of the band’s B-sides will also feature a second half that will feature four remixes by Ran Music producer Shen, under the alias Nano Zoo. Trading out the lo-fi and vintage glam for a modern electronic twist. Luv Plastik x Nano Zoo delves deeper down the crazed world of Luv Plastik to dizzying degree. While the four original tracks from the duo maintain the dirt and grime that we’ve come to appreciate (more so than on their debut EP) leaving one itching for more, the four tracks from Nano Zoo leave me a bit mystified. While Dan Taylor’s voice works quite well in a drum n bass, trip hop setting, the songs lose their firecracker appeal, and in many ways overstay their welcome. Nevertheless, the release continues to fortify Luv Plastik as one of Beijing’s most riotous outfits. Spin it over at soundcloud.

Up and coming Guangzhou labels, Boring Production and Full Label, team up for a epic compilation album which pays tribute to short-lived yet very much influential record company Sarah Records, which boomed during its shirt-lived tenure in the UK from 1987 to 1995. The tribute album, Our Secret World, features twelve bands from around the southern China hub, including A Hidden Trace, AyKayAyDubeelewAR, Butterbeer, chestnut bakery, Fuhn, Milkmustache, smellyhoover, Teenage Riot, The Ephemera, The White Tulips, yourboyfriendsucks!, and Zoo reproducing some of the label’s finest hits as well as original material inspired by the ‘DIY attitude of the Sarah bands’. Some truly rich lo-fi dream pop here. And a fine introduction to the emerging crop of bands forming down south that I’m sure we’ll be hearing more and more about in the future. Jack it for free over at bandcamp.

Itching for that post rock fix? Well, here’s the latest outfit to give the well-worn genre another go around. Park is a one-man team behind the post rock project and looking at his debut EP, You Are Going Backward, it’s clear the artist knows his way around a studio. Working as a sound engineer on well-known post rock and neo folk artists Zhaoze and Secret Backyard, Park brings all his expertise into the three tracks. As far as post rock goes, it plays it a bit too safe. As a introduction though, I think it’s fair to say that with the right gusto, Park could build something quite nice out. Give the EP a spin on xiami.