On The Scene: Yugong Yishan 02-10-2012

During the Golden Week, I made a quick stop by Yugong Yishan to check out what the M.A.D Festival had in store. My main reason for going was to see if Atom, of Hedgehog, was in fact, joining Nova Heart as drummer – cause that is a tag team made in heaven and my dirtiest dreams. Though this consummation didn’t materialize tonight, I still got to get my freak on with Nova Heart and dance like it’s 1979 with Polish nu disco group The KDMS.

Nova Heart is shaping out to be quite the band at this point – with a little push into the scene here in Beijing, I believe they can manage to become one of the top acts in town. It’s obvious they’re still cultivating their strengths and talents (and if the rumors of Atom joining are true, well, hip hip yahray), smoothing out the edges, getting that diamond nice and luster.

I think they’ve nailed what makes them so fun – it’s the playfulness that Helen Feng and company inject into each song. Like an electronic jam session, Nova Heart teases the audience and aren’t afraid to drag a song out into hardcore dance territory. And yes, a lot of thanks can go to the beats, which are great in their own right, but it’s when Helen (or even the other members when given the chance) lets loose that the band really shines – this is most obvious on their closer “Evil” –

I never wanted to so badly to be a drum cymbal. Nova Heart’s catalogue of songs is stacking quite nicely – so let’s get a proper album already!

The real treat of the night was The KDMS, who pulled a no-holes-barrel disco set. No winking, no self-parodying nonsense – this was pure neon infused, beautiful sleek disco.

With lyrics like that, it’s hard not to chuckle a bit, but these two pull it off some genuinely that it makes you wish you could be jump into a time machine. The fever was catching on for sure. Kudos to M.A.D for bringing back the 70s.

Check below for “Children Children” by Nova Heart.