More than Music? Local Bands Get Creative
Famed avant-garde musician, Bjork has been delighting critics with her recent release, Biophilia, and it’s not due to daring musical compositions or an outrageous new hairdo (although the songstress’ newest release does feature both of these things). Inspired by different natural phenomena, the 10 songs on Biophilia each have their own app, which fans can download to find out more about the song and its relationship to nature. All of these apps are immense productions, featuring contributions from musicologists and physicists as well as narration by famed naturalist David Attenborough. Regardless as to how Biophilia sells, it’s an incredible, possibly industry-altering feat.
While the debate rages over whether or not Biophilia is the beginning of a new era of ‘app LPs’, it’s clear that we are now at a point where multimedia productions are undeniably a part of not only the way that musicians market themselves, but also the way that they express themselves. True to the trend, many of Shanghai’s newest crop of independent music releases feature extras that go far beyond the music.
Not content to create just a debut album, punk trio Friend of Foe released a six-panel comic book to accompany its new album My Claw is Never Limp. Known for theatrics surrounding the alien alter-egos they take on stage, the band collaborated with local artist Ivan Belcic to chronicle their extraterrestrial origins. “We wanted a multimedia experience because we have a good time making art with creative people,” says the band’s guitarist and singer Rabshaka.
After a year of shock-rocking Chinese audiences with performances from the band’s self-titled album, DIY rockers Pairs released its sophomore album, Summer Sweat on 30 September at Yuyintang. The new album’s 14 songs have the same off-kilter, frenetic quality as the band’s first album, although there’s an emerging cohesion and maturity to these new tracks. Fans who purchase one of these handmade albums, usually on a give-what-you-want basis, will find that it also comes with a DVD. Drummer Rhys O’Loughlin (aka Xiao Zhong) admits that the DVD is as much for him as it is for the fans.
“I reckon the chances of me living in Shanghai forever are slim, plus you meet so many people here that you’re never going to see again. But the connection or jokes or moments or whatever you shared with them are really special. It’s just like some sh*tty visual scrapbook,” says O’Loughlin. “The music sucks people in, and, well hopefully, they want more. That’s fine. You have to draw a line with what you’re willing to give people and keep for yourself, but ultimately if you want a little bit more, you have to give a little bit more.”
Where many local bands work up to larger multimedia productions slowly after playing shows and building a following, the newly-formed ‘extreme campfire’ band Pause has begun to play shows in Shanghai with a professional-grade, multimedia album in hand. In addition to the 10 track CD featuring the band’s folk and bluegrass inspired ditties, the self-titled release resembles a vinyl LP complete with a booklet of lyrics featuring original artwork by lead singer Colleen Levy. There’s even a USB that includes photo sets of the band and a razor-sharp, professionally-edited documentary on the making of the album.
While Pause’s self-titled production certainly raises the bar for what can be expected of local bands, other bands are content to develop in more traditional ways. Two local stalwarts X is Y and Boys Climbing Ropes will release a split CD this month, which appears to be just that. Both of these bands have recently produced short music videos to go along with their releases, but there are no plans to include additional content just yet for the new offering.
“We’re not opposed to presenting the music in ‘extra-musical’ ways because it’s an opportunity to provide people with more context in which to interpret things,” says Boys Climbing Ropes’ bassist Morgan Short said. “It’s more of an opportunity to communicate with people.”
Boys Climbing Ropes
Web: site.douban.com/bcr/
X is Y and Boys Climbing Ropes Split CD Release. 16 November. Yuyintang. 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yan'an Xi Lu
Friend or Foe
Web: site.douban.com/friendorfoe/
My Claw is Never Limp CD Release. 12 November. Yuyintang. 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yan'an Xi Lu
Pairs
Next show: 19 November. LOgO. 107 Sinan Lu, near Taikang Lu
Pause
Web: www.pauseband.com
Shanghai awaits Pause’s next show.
