2014 was a big year for us over here at Live Beijing Music. No longer content with simply ‘shooting and pointing’, we covered the scene more prominently, highlighting new releases, music videos, and news. We produced our first music videos, and held our first show, and earlier this month, our first music festival. Here’s a list of the feats LBM achieved over this year.

Music Videos

It was inevitable. Coming from a film background, the idea of creating music videos for bands and artists that I love was just a dream come true. Thanks to all the folks who helped out – from the cameramen (and women), photographers, actors, and of course the artist themselves.

Streets Kill Strange Animals – Through

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Though technically shot in 2013, the editing process took some time on our debut MV. Ridiculous amounts of fun on a city bus.

Lantern Festival – Between The Screens

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Johnny Clement aka Lantern Festival is just a class act. Someone with a very clear idea of what they’re trying to accomplish with their music. Beijing may have lost him this year, but Hong Kong gained an incredibly talented artist. And to think this was only months before all the lanterns were removed from Guijie.

Guiguisuisui – Black Books

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Dann Gaymer aka Guiguisuisui aka King Necro aka whatever other alter-ego this cat comes up with next. The work ethnic, the commitment, the generosity – even if Guiguisuisui’s brand of trailer trash goth blues ain’t your cup of tea, there’s no denying the world Guiguisuisui has created for himself. He’s a one man Cirque du Soleil, if the trope had zero budget, and an affinity for demons and cats. Rock on Mr. Gaymer, rock on.

Luv Plastik x Jeff Yiu

An experiment in multimedia performance – on top of the raddest performers that are Dan and Dan (my first taste of the controlled chaos that is Luv Plastik) I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Yiu, a jack of all trades visual artist, who created the music videos projected behind the band, and is someone I look forward to working with again and again.

Coverage

Dansheng Music Festival

A blast from start to finish – the Dansheng Music Festival in Dalian was hands down one of my favorites events of the year. And we got to shoot and film the whole thing, and drag people into a garage for interviews. The whole nine yards. Now we just need to edit the rest of it together.

thruoutin/Noise Arcade Shanghai Tour Video

LBM does Shanghai for the second time – this time accompanying thruoutin and Noise Arcade on a three-date tour of the city’s diverse music scene. Some crazy performances, long nights, and another reminder of how nice it is to get out of Beijing from time to time.

China Drifting Festival

Our first foray into creating a promo for a show instead of just archiving individual songs. Or maybe, just an excuse to use Re-TROS’s ‘Viva Murder’ and show off a handful of money shots.

THEESATISFACTION/We Are Wolves

Youtube

We will be bringing back the interview aspects of these videos next year. A fun night and proof that you can still make an interview look good (better at least) with loads of editing.

Shows

Thanks to all of those who came out for our first go at throwing shows. Dipped our toes in School and XP, and went off the deep end at DDC for Fake Fuzz Fest – perhaps the craziest, most musically satisfying two days of the year for us. Looking forward to hosting more and more events next year.

‘Smooth Sailing 6.6’ (June 6^th at School)

LBM Winter Showcase (November 29^th at XP)

Fake Fuzz Fest (December 13^th/14^th at DDC)

Other

LBM Mixtapes

A pleasure to make these weekly mixtapes highlighting the bands swinging through Beijing — looking forward to making more of these. Hit them all up over here.

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The best part of our year end lists – compiling my top songs of the year. As noted the other day, We\’ve listened to a lot of stuff this year, so putting together a list of just 100 songs was just too much to handle. So instead we bumped it to 120 songs this year. Their were a few emissions, mainly due to copyright issues (missing a couple Alpine Decline songs, a Carsick Cars scorcher, as well as a Guiguisuisui song) but for the most part, this is it – LBM\’s 2014 Mixtape. And because I\’m in no mood to pay fifteen bucks a month for Soundcloud\’s \’services\’, it\’ll only be up for the next month before I move it elsewhere. So without further a due – the songs that I boogied to. The songs that saved me from numerous crowded buses. The songs that left me breathless. The songs that some of you will hopefully be bumping soon enough. Enjoy!

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I’ve listened to over 160 albums this year out of China. That’s way too much. And looking at some of the other ‘year end’ lists, it’s clear I’ve missed some. So yeah, my head hurts just thinking about it. Yet, as always with music, when I found something I connected with, I kept it close. Nurtured it. Showed it off. Forced it upon others. Whatever means necessary. Here are the albums that stuck with me throughout the year.

The Big Ten

Hedgehog – Phantom Pop Star 

Hedgehog have outdone themselves with their latest, expanding their sound into pop territory like never before all the while maintaining their ruffled psychedelic-tinted rock n’ roll sensibilities. It’s this balance that turns Phantom Pop Star into perhaps the indie rock group’s best work to date. From the electronic backing in ‘DDDDDDreaMMMMMM’, to the dual vocals that propel ‘Phantom Pop Star’, to the subdued cello work on ‘Paintings’ and ‘Star Shine’, every stylistic choice surpasses its mark, as the band utilizes every trick and nuance of their sound to elevate their dreamy pop world. A singular piece of art through and through. Listen to it here.

Alpine Decline – Go Big Shadow City

Alpine Decline simply knocked it out of the park with their latest, Go Big Shadow City, produced by man about town Yang Haisong. It’s a robust piece of work, one that takes everything that the dystopian rock duo does great – ghostly vocals, hypnotic reverb, and atmospheric ‘end of days’ soundscapes that perfectly captures the rust, otherworldly glow, and grime of Beijing like no one else – and haven’t so much expanded it as refined it in ways that’s both ambitiously entertaining and emotionally satisfying in the most unexpected ways. As the title suggests Alpine Decline have gone big and haven’t missed a beat. Abrasive, beautiful, and bold – one of the most confident pieces of work this year. Listen to it here.

Moxizishi – Open Country 

Here’s an album that caught me off guard – Beijing-based Yi (that’s southwestern Sichuan) musician Moxizishi, whose been steadily making a name for himself these past few years, collaborating with Dou Wei, one of China’s scenes heavyweight veterans, as well as performing on The Voice of China. Yet none of that prepared me for the sheer beauty that is Open Country, the artist’s debut. The twelve-track album is a masterpiece – one that takes utilizes the rhythm and vocal stylings of traditional Yi minority music and injects it with an experimental even improvisational energy that allows the songs to organically find a poetic nirvana. A delicate piece of work that takes its time, finds comfort in the unlikeliest places, and never takes a false step.

Ghost Bath – Funeral

There’s something amiss in Chongqing, cause whoever these Ghost Bath fellas are, they’ve straight up have jumped down the rabbit hole of metal’s more grave offshoots. Their debut, Funeral, which has already been acclaimed by more than a few international media outlets, is beautifully disturbing. First, there’s your lead singer hallowing like a madman at the moon; sobbing, shrieking – anything but making recognizable sentences. On top of that some of the angriest most vivid post-black metal that has graced my ears. Strikingly twisted stuff that packs a hell of a wallop. Listen to it here.

Summer Can’t Fall Asleep – zzZ

Zhongshan, a bit north of Hong Kong, is now home to one of the best debuts to come out of China this year. The band – Summer Can’t Fall Asleep. The album – zzZ. The four-piece band fronted by the immaculately voiced Kwan is in a league of their own here – six tracks of stripped-down indie rock and roll that’s brimming with life. From the voice, to the instrumental work, even the subtle addition of backing vocals, it’s a flawless showcase that works like gangbusters. Eagerly waiting to see where they take it next. Listen to it here.

Wang Wen – Eight Horses

Dalian post rock gods Wang Wen have returned with their eighth full length album (appropriately) titled Eight Horses featuring as expected eight epic compositions that the juggernaut band has become best known for. Put together by the fine lads over in Chengdu, New Noise, with post-production work done PK 14′s much respected lead singer Yang Haisong, as well as Ningbo based producer Anzi and Wouter Vlaeminckx, front man of Belgium indie band Toman, it\’s a beautiful stunning album that finds the band exploring new territories and laying to waste all other post rock albums of the year. Listen to it here.

The Bricks – Juncture Fugue

Hangzhou ska outfit The Bricks popped up last spring and has been my go to album for livening the mood in the gloomiest of days. Their latest album Juncture Fugue (音渡神游) is nine tracks of pure ska bliss. These guys aren’t reinventing the wheel here. But what it lacks in originality it makes up for in pure unadulterated love for the genre. There’s a looseness here that’s infectious, a laid back spirit that feels just right, and a contagious energy running amuck in this baby. Listen to it here.

SPICE – Force Analysis

The Hangzhou electro rock trio SPICE, composed of Chen Chen Chen, an experimental electronic musician and guitarist, Little Drummer, and Yī Lái, return with their third EP entitled Force Analysis – and the only question I have for them now is – where the hell is our album already! SPICE is not only proof that there’s a lot happening outside the first tier cities – they’re one of most innovative, intriguing, and downright exciting bands coming out of China, period. A band fully invested in their sound – whether it’s taking a groovy beat in the beginning of ‘Hypnosis’ and turning it into an epic psychedelic jam by its end; or giving us a club-ready jam out of ‘Yellow+Black’ – SPICE radiates with creating soundscapes that live and breathe on their own. Give it spin here.

Pairs – Brief Lesbian/ Maleika on Casley

Man am I going to miss Pairs. The Shanghai self-proclaimed ‘shit rock’ duo were in peak form this year with their final two releases – Brief Lesbian (no one knows how to throw titles around like Xiao Zhong) and Maleika on Casley. Gut wrenching noisr rock that wallow in Xiao Zhong’s cynical fraught outlook like never before. Instead of allowing the emotions and imagery unfold in their usual one to three minute maelstrom, these songs burrow their way under your skin, and berates you to the point of restlessness. Every awkward moment, defeated shudder, judgmental twitch hits like a needle to the arm. Probably the most accurate account of what it feels like to be an aspiring (expat) artist in China. Give them a listen here and here.

Liang Yiyuan – 须臾形下器

There’s a certain solace to be found in Wuhan-based experimental artist Liang Yiyuan’ latest, 须臾形下器. I can’t exactly put on my finger on it, but there’s a existential quality to album that sucks you in. It’s a master class in atmosphere – using flutes, guitar, bass, and a Finnish instrument called the Kantele, Liang Yiyuan creates a world of sound to get lost in. An exploration of sound and silence, meditation and mysticism, and my ‘chill out’ album of the year. Utterly intoxicating. Give it a listen here.

10 Other Albums Worth Mentioning

Xiban – Peace and Prosperity/Powder of Five Minerals,

Xiban, a multi-national, multi-instrumental troupe that fully embodies the world music category and then takes it even further by incorporating experimental textures and techniques, creating a world of sound that’s invigorates the old noggin. A reinterpretation of Chinese music that’s absolutely mesmerizing. Give them a listen over here.

The Yours – Teenagarten 

A bit of a cheat cause they’re out of Hong Kong, but whatta gonna do about it. Youthful aggression at its best. A vigorous, distortion-bleeding affair of a band on the cusp of success in Hong Kong. Top notch production work and melodies that linger long after. Listen to it here.

Howie Lee – Eastside Sampler

Likely the closest I’ll get to fully embracing the club scene here. The four-track EP is a master class in bubbly transnational electronic music, one that embraces the sounds and beats of Chinese culture while maintaining his signature trap style. Listen to it here.

L1STALLDO – Life 4 Luv

Instrumental hip hop built upon decades and decades worth of pop culture and sounds that become engrained in our everyday routine  – the hip hop trio (LIST + ALL + DO) dabble in everything from folk, jazz, rock, and funk, whilst utilizing an array of soundbites, creating a unique listening experience. Give it a listen here.

SMZB – A Letter From China

Wuhan celtic punk veterans return with a raging lineup of songs that looks at the crimes of society – from celebrity lifestyle, turning a blind eye, fleeing governments officials, and using violence as a means to an end.  SMZB present it all with such genuine, disheartened concern that it’s hard to not get wrapped up in the anthems. The flame of punk is alive and well. Listen to it here.

Dear Eloise – Farewell to the Summer

The guitar washed, shoegaze side project from P.K 14 frontman Yang Haisong and his wife Sun Xia continue building their castle in the sky. Captures perfectly that lucid dream state as one drifts off to sleep. Listen to it here.

Various Artists – Lets Get Naked And Do Some Drones/Taxee Tapes Vol. 3/Xina Electronica/ Module 1: Oscillate

Love me my compilations. Great way to explore some of the electronic scene’s more offbeat characters. From the icy cascades of Dead J, to the hook driven Technicolor pop of thruoutin, there is a lot of goodies amiss each of these compilations. More please. Listen here, here, here, and here.

Hanggai – Baifang

On their latest we’re treated to a more mature Hanggai that’s not afraid and justifiably more interested in expanding the scope and potential of their sound, allowing songs to build and hitting some serious emotional highs. Listen to it here, here, and grab it over at iTunes.

Mercader – Mercader

It took a few listens to get into the groove but the Guangzhou based post punk/no wave/indie rock outfit Mercader eventually hooked me in.  A more melodic P.K.14; a dirtier New Pants, the lyrically driven music suggests a band with a lot to offer. Give the debut a spin over here.

Genjing Records

Genjing Records did a stellar job this year with releases from Snapline, Little Punk, The Yours, Hot & Cold, Guiguisuisui, Low Bow, Carsick Cars, The Fallacy, AV Okubo, as well as a full length LP from After Argument. Lots of golden tracks amongst those and it’s wonderful to see someone carrying the vinyl torch in town. Check out their full discography here.

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Bands break up. Bands go on hiatus. Bands form just as a sick joke. Bands take a leave of absence to get in their studies. Bands go on tour. Bands play one festival too many. Bands release an EP. Bands disappear off the face of the earth. Whatever the case, each year it’s important to give credit to the bands who gave the scene a run for its money. Here are my favorite Beijing bands of the year…that I’ve seen.

Beijing Bands to Keep an Eye on in 2014

While a lot of my picks from last year continue to impress – The Big Wave, Dr. Liu & The Human Centipede, Streets Kill Strange Animals, Bedstars – this year I’ve decided to take a look at the newest crop of bands to emerge and leave an impact on me.

Gate to Otherside

Just psyched-up fuzzed-out rock and roll bliss. I recall their first show all but deafening my ears, but what a glorious wall of sound they’ve conjured up. One that reveals quite an acute pop sensibility.

Luv Plastik

What can I say? I love my fuzz. These two have straight up bum rushed the scene this year with electrying performance after electrifying performance. Garage rock of the highest order – a red hot concoction of ego, trashy fun, and volatility that’s loads of fun.

Horse Radio

Inner Mongolians bands are a dime a dozen nowadays. And let’s be honest, it’s gonna be hard to top Hanggai. But that’s precisely why Horse Radio (formerly Taan Towch) have caught my attention this year. They aren’t trying to be rock stars. It’s relatable, accessible, genuine, and most importantly full of life.

Mammals

A bit bored of everything post rock has to offer. Need some math rock to get your motor running. Then Mammals is where it’s at. It’s badass without being pretentious. It’s playful yet focused. It’s what happens when you take a bunch of talented chaps and give them free reign.

Maybe Mars keeping it fresh this year

Have to give credit to Maybe Mars – while their old guard disappointed this year in more ways than one, I’ve seen exceptional growth in white +, Chui Wan, and Birdstriking, have taken their sound and built upon it, elevating their game to new heights. From the dance grooves slowly finding their way into Chui Wan’s formula, to the popped up, revved up amputation of Birdstriking’s youthful aggression, to the otherworldly layering of white+, these three bands are going to blow minds in the next year. Also, special shout out to Alpine Decline who haven’t so much expanded their sound but have solidified it in the best possible way.

Punk Band Metal of Honor – Gum Bleed

While I didn’t get to cut my teeth as much as I’d hope on the punk scene this year, one band I bumped into more than once has earned their place in my heart and that is Gum Bleed – one of the most genuine, talented, professional, gang of punks in China who come to every show with their game face on.

Will LBM be covering more electronic music?

Besides becoming fully engrossed to some of my buddies electronica projects (i.e. thruoutin and Noise Arcade, who have grown leaps and bounds in the past year and I imagine will do great work in the year of the sheep), I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to electronic music’s more offbeat characters – from the icy sleek of Dead J, to the unsettling exotic textures of Charm, to the transcendent soundscapes of Feeling of Regret, to the gadgetry wizardry of Mengqi, to the minimalism of Soviet Pop, and finally to even the ethereal beauty of FM3 – there are a lot of interesting sounds bubbling underneath the electronic music’s mainstream appeal and I hope to seek it out more.

Beijing better watch out

The amount of music I’ve seen and heard from outside of Beijing has been staggering. Xiamen, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Xinxiang, Dalian, the list goes on. The White Tulips, Summer Can’t Fall Asleep, Stolen, Meat Sucks, The Fuzz, SPICE, Doc Talk Shock, Sucker, The Fallacy, Colorful Z-bra, Ghost Bath, The Bricks, Liang Yiyuan – all artists creating their own little scenes back home and establishing second and third tier cities as artistically accommodating environments. And that my friends, is super exciting. As I’ve told plenty of folks already, the next big thing won’t be coming out of Beijing.

— Stay tuned —

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Sooner or later all these shows will begin to blur into one another – to the point where I can’t tell one apart from the other. It certainly doesn’t help that I ventured out to many events without my camera this year. But till then, here’s a list of shows, sets, and moments that left their mark on me in the past year. Was indeed a fine year.

Nahash at XP

Just an onslaught of darkness and likely the bleakest XP’s been this year. The lighting (or lack of), the VJing from Shanghai mastermind Tina Sparkles, and the hallowing death cry of Nahash was the most fun I’ve had bellowing in the madness. Sick, twisted genius.

Second Hand Rose at Strawberry Festival

I love exposing friends and newbies to stuff they’ve never seen – it’s glorious. So exposing your future mother in law is like the holy grail of marks. And having their first real taste of rock and roll be friggin Second Hand Rose, genuine rock and roll royalty, amuck hungry attendees at an outdoor festival. Too good for words. That’s something you don’t forget. Guessing the father-in-law will be a little tougher to convert.

Da Bang, white + at School

School and Stockholm syndrome happens. It just does. But when you’re literally trapped in the confines due to one of Beijing’s many summer flashfloods, it’s a different story. Humid swarms of people having no other choice than to give their full right attention to the music. And Da Bang, effortlessly redeeming themselves with a knockout performance alongside white + who unveiled the next evolution of their sound. A fever dream of ridiculous awesomeness.

Birdstriking, Chui Wan, Gate to Otherside, The Eat at XP

A continuation of the summer heat manifesting some deliriously good shows. Solid vibes, jinjiu galore, a screening of an adorably cute short documentary, and an onslaught of proof that there is plenty of life in the Maybe Mars cannon. Gate to Otherside is a swift kick of certificated badassery. Expecting a lot of good things from these four groups.

Dos Kolegas 9th Anniversary

My last waltz with one of Beijing’s greatest hangouts, which we sadly lost late this summer. Everything great about the joint – the dewy lawn, the scattered tables; the food; the care-free attitude; the familiar faces – jam-packed into two nights of tomfoolery. And of course, great music courtesy of Re-Tros, Buyi, WHAI, Residence A, and more. When Dos Kolegas did it right, it couldn’t be beat. Miss ya bud.

The Yours at XP

Hong Kong smartalics, The Yours, all but setting the stage ablaze and sending a bolt of energy through all of XP. Though to be fair, I showed up half-way through their set in drunken glee. But seriously, when was the last time you saw crowd surfing at XP. That takes balls. Big swinging balls.

Hanggai at Make Livehouse

I’ve seen Hanggai too many times, at Mako Livehouse even. So what more could they have to offer. Yet, here I am remember just how much they killed it last April at their latest LP release, sucking up the enthusiasm of everyone and turning it into gold. Entertainers of the highest order and bonafide rock stars who don’t fuck around. Oh, and Paul Anselmi’s bald head. That is all.

torturing nurse at 696

All of Shanghai was a blast, one of 2014’s best excursions, but this moment will forever be engrained in my memory. Hungover, exhausted, and vulnerable, and then this. The equivalent of getting a colonoscopy. Good, bad, moving – doesn’t matter. I felt like a new man afterwards.

Round Eye, Bedstars at Harleys, Uptown Records

A pissing contest of debauchery from two of the scene’s most unhinged performers. Besides from seeing Bedstars completely out of their element both in a dingy record store and then a dingy basement bar in Shanghai (and loving every second of it), I had the pleasure of catching Round Eye all but screw a goat on stage with a performance that was wonderfully deranged. The encore became a mess of people crawling onstage, guitars being trampled, and didlos flying about aimlessly.  Classy.

Densheng Music Festival at Dalian

This is how you run a festival – keep it small, keep it audience-oriented, have local vendors, and invite a bunch of trigger-happy cameraboys to a breezy beach in Dalian. And having someone with good taste in music gather some of the most intriguing acts across China to perform, including Hiperson and Proximity Butterfly, two bands that would wipe the floor clean with most Beijing acts. Work and pleasure shacking up together never felt so good.

The Diders at School

While it was perhaps premature to claim The Diders the band to watch this year in last year’s writeup, there’s no denying the bombastic charm of the bands original lineup (have yet to catch their new layout; fingers crossed). And the shitstorm of intoxicated egos hit its apex at the bands EP release where they butchered with effortless efficiency the Stooges’ ‘Search and Destroy’ with a guest spot from Joyside’s Yang Yang. Glorious. Did I mention one of the band member’s mother was there, looking on in horror.

The Big Wave, Cat AIDS at School

First time’s the charm  – LBM’s first outing was a Molotov cocktail of fun. Awesome bands including The Big Wave, who I’ve been jabbing on about for months, the friendliest venue with incredible hosts, good friends making the trek over to Wudaoying, and oh, having the sound guy look at me in disbelief whilst Cat AIDS jumped around on stage in jumpsuits singing about Kevin Bacon reacharounds. Beautiful.

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes at XP

While I missed Pairs’ last show, I was able to catch the last performances of Shanghai DIY hero Rhys’ two other bands – Hujiahuwei and Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes. The latter I caught after a longgg day of outdoor drinking, but holy shit, does their performance ring loud and clear at years’ end now. Cathartic shoegaze dream pop that hit me like a train.

And of course, Fake Fuzz Fest, our little baby. But more on that later.

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