After having a relatively quiet 2013, Beijing-based electronic label Sinotronics, headed by men about town Josh Feola and Markus Schneider, is looking to push things forward and get the ball rolling (at least production wise) this year starting with the 3^rd Annual Beijing Electronic Music Encounter which has the bleak foreboding subtitle ‘Dark Bridges’ because what doesn’t have a bleak foreboding subtitle nowadays. Anyways the event will be spread out over the Oct. 24-26 weekend at various venues and looks like a absolute blast, especially for those with interest in hearing how far electronic music has come these past years. Here’s the complete write up:

 

Beijing-based electronic music label SINOTRONICS (formerly Metrowaves x pangbianr) presents the third Beijing Electronic Music Encounter (BEME), China’s most progressive annual showcase of electronic sounds. BEME III hosts 14 artists from China and India over three nights, in three venues, with three distinct modes of experience.

BEME III is a unique, curated cross-section of electronic music producers, DJs, experimental composers, and hybrid electro/rock bands. Even more so than the previous two years’ editions, BEME III is a statement for the radical rethinking of what can be defined as “electronic music” in 2014 Beijing. BEME operates off the cliché, providing a critical accounting of what is essential for a forward-moving event that responds to the specific conditions of the Beijing and Chinese music scene.

The theme of BEME III is DARK BRIDGES: hidden connections, unexpected directions, new results. This is not a fallback on the familiar, but a bridge to the unknown.

BEME III will coincide with the first CD release from Sinotronics, the debut album of Beijing’s FAR/∞, as well the release of the inaugural Sino-Indian Music Alliance compilation CD, a collaborative project between Sinotronics and Delhi’s REProduce Artists. Delhi-based producer and DJ Hashback Hashish will make a return trip to China for two appearances at BEME III, representing REProduce and the vibrant Indian electronic music underground.World-renowned inventors of the Buddha Machine, FM3, will also officially release their new album Ting Shuo 《听说》at BEME III. This will be their first non-Buddha Machine release of original material since 2005.

 

BEME III will be preceded by a FREE warmup event this Friday, October 17 at Mako Livehouse featuring Dead J, Hashback Hashish, Menghan, MMS, and Charm. Check out the full schedule for next week below. Looks wicked!

 

BEME III – FULL SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 @ DADA BEIJING

 

BEME III, Night 1 brings unfamiliar vibrations to Beijing’s most progressive electronic music club, DADA. Come early for danceable code glitch from Changchun’s JFI and avant-techno from Beijing’s iimmune (Sinotronics), ride the wave to its crest with an unprecedented, dancefloor-oriented live set from FM3 (Buddha Machine), and release with deep house, minimal techno, and tech house lasting til the small hours from FAR/∞ (live set – Sinotronics), Menghan (DJ set – Sinotronics), and Hashback Hashish (DJ set – REProduce Artists, Delhi).

Doors – 开门: 8pm
Ticket – 门票: 40rmb

Lineup:
– MMS (DJ)
– JFI (live)
– iimmune (live)
– FM3 (live)
– FAR/∞ (live)
– Menghan (DJ)
– Hashback Hashish (DJ)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 @ YUGONG YISHAN

The second night of BEME III brings radical electronic hybrids to Yugong Yishan’s stage. Perched at a critical point between avant-garde and “familiar” music, this night is the centerpiece of BEME III, presenting dark bridges between punk, post-rock, noise, improvisation, live electronic music, and spheric DJ soundscapes.

It starts with an inflammatory synth-grind set from SPY RAT 51, the newest enfant terrible side project of Li Qing and Li Weisi (Snapline / Soviet Pop). From there we hear new moves from old hands as Beijing punk stalwarts SUBS debut a new electronic post-punk direction, then reach the future rock styles of Shanghai’s most progressive band, Duck Fight Goose, a four-piece unit slowly evolving into a post-machine sonic hybrid. DFG will debut a radically new set at BEME III.

The highlight of this event is FM3′s live performance and official release of their new album, Ting Shuo, followed by repeat, experimental & improvised performances from two other artists featured on night one: FAR/∞ and Menghan. BEME III bridges between venues as well as between sounds & styles, their originators and their audience.

Doors – 开门: 8pm
Ticket – 门票: 80rmb

Lineup:
– Spy Rat 51 – 潜鼠51
– SUBS
– Duck Fight Goose – 鸭打鹅
– FM3 (album release) -（唱片发行）
– FAR/∞
– Menghan (DJ)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 @ XP BEIJING

BEME III concludes with an experimental salon, showing the contemporary status of China’s electronic music avant-garde. JFI and iimmune return from night one at Dada to bring their harshest, strangest, most untested ideas to the fore. Menghan returns once again, joined this time by MMS (improvised splicing) and Charm (percussion, electronics) for the hybrid electro-acoustic live ensemble, STEEL. Delhi’s Hashback Hashish returns as well, deconstructing stems from his 2014 album Stoned for a live, ambient set.

The guest of honor at BEME III’s finale is Hangzhou-based Wang Changcun, one of China’s earliest innovators in sound software development. In addition to democratizing access to means of electronic music production in China via mobile app development (cicadas) and open-sourced, browser-based performance platforms (see here), Changcun has recently been recognized by the critically-acclaimed Sound Art China exhibition as one of the forerunners of sound art and avant-garde electronic music in the country. This is his first Beijing performance since 2003.

We’re also thrilled at the last-minute addition of US-based artist Ben Houge. Ben’s unique compositions and inventions operate at the nexus of music composition, video games, performance, sound installation, and digital art. This will be Ben’s first China performance since 2011.

Doors – 开门: 8pm
Ticket – 门票: 40rmb

Lineup:
– Menghan / STEEL
– Hashback Hashish
– iimmune
– Hong Qile – 洪启乐
– JFI
– Ben Houge
– Wang Changcun – 王长存