Here's some music that soundtracked long walks, melted browser load times, or otherwise confronted the eardrums in an interesting way over the last yearYin (音, “music”) is a weekly RADII feature that looks at Chinese songs spanning hip hop to folk to modern experimental, and everything in between. Drop us a line if you have a suggestion.I’m not big on year-end lists, but looking back on RADII’s 2018 coverage, I’d be remiss not to highlight some of the highlights in one place for easy repeated listening. Here’s some of the music from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong that soundtracked long walks, melted browser load times, or otherwise confronted the eardrums in an interesting way this year:Alpine Decline – Return to Desolation LakeClick-through: Beijing/LA Duo Alpine Decline’s Startling New Browser VideoGuzz – 锦鲤 KOIYin: Guzz’s “Fleeting Whispers”Lonely Leary – Through the Park, Almost There*“Stay Ugly”: An Interview With Beijing Post-Punks Lonely Leary* This one also got shouted out in one of NPR’s year-end lists. Nice!Zaliva-D – Sky Singing + “Mist” (ruò tán remix)Yin: Barren Solstice Ripper from ruò tán x Zaliva-DFAZI – Dead Sea 死海B-Side China: Was 2018 the Year Chinese Music Went Global?Osheyack – Sadomodernism6 Young(ish) Producers and DJs in China Worth CheckingDream Can – Into Sparks Shanghai trio Dream Canayrtbh – Song of AnonYin: Electronic Composer ayrtbh’s Latest “Track” is a .dmg File鸭听天 – 义乌情 Cover of Yiwu band 鸭听天’s debut album, released in June 2018 by Beijing label Spacefruity RecordsDolphy Kick Bebop – Smoke a Haiku CigaretteCITY MIX: Something in the Hangzhou WaterLi Daiguo – 鸟听Yin: Li Daiguo Returns to Piano on New Album “鸟叫”Snapline – Shou HuaYin: Beijing Post-Punks Snapline Return with Elliptical “Answer”Gooooose – Dong1Yin: Wild New Sounds from Shanghai’s 33EMYBW & GOOOOOSE33EMYBW – GolemBugged Out: The Humanoid Machine Music of Shanghai Artists Han Han and 33EMYBWThe Molds – Born Astride the GraveYin: New Old Beijing Gutter-Garage from The MoldsAlexmalism – TKOA New Community for Hong Kong’s Underground Music SceneGG Lobster – Voodoo Drums GG Lobster, a fixture in Hangzhou’s thriving underground club music sceneShao – Doppler ShiftYin: Gripping Techno Thriller from Beijing Producer ShaoMeuko! Meuko! – 鬼島 Ghost IslandWatch: 360° Music Video by Meuko! Meuko! Taps the Virtual Spirit RealmStruggle Session – 2016-2018 DiscographyBeijing Hardcore Band Struggle Session on Unique Punk Hybrids from ChinaDagger – Dagger/HRVST Split Hong Kong heavy peddlers DaggerBohan Phoenix – OVERSEASWATCH: Bohan Phoenix Debuts Glitched-Out, Interactive Music VideoHowie Lee x Teom Chen – “明日不可待”Watch: Howie Lee and Teom Chen Render Digital Afterlives in New Video “Tomorrow Cannot Be Waited”—That about does it. Back on the hunt for new tunes on Jan 1 so stay tuned as always.Cover photo: A member of Shanghai band Dream Can performs an interactive art project at Adelaide OzAsia Festival in November 2018 (Facebook)
