|
|
In 2002 Dou Wei has formed another new project called Mu Liang Wen Wang (Mu Liang stands for Dou Wei, Wen stands for trumpet player Wen Bin and Wang for dulcimer player and vocalist Wang Xiao Fang). This time Dou Wei has devoted to his new works that is similar to the neo-Chinese-folk. With dulcimer as the main instrument, added with some fragments of ambient music, a little bit experimental sound and noise, Chinese percussion segments, and jazz drums, Mu Liang Wen Wang has freed the dulcimer and flute and other Chinese folk instruments from the melody stereotypes, they even use the academic minimalism to create a layering, expansive atmosphere.
Mu Liang Wen Wang recorded a 2nd album “Live On, Gloriette by Water” on March 2002. As Dou Wei recalled the recording process was quite simple and fast, the three of them got together and talked for hours, mostly about things that has nothing to do with music. When their musical visions and feelings hit and kindled, they went into the studio and finished the first part of recording in a few hours, the second part took a little longer. “Live On, Gloriette by Water” is quite improvisational a recording, it might be the best effort of Chinese new music in the last few years, it is Dou Wei’s new experiment with Oriental music, it conveys his music emotions and visions, it’s a resplendent and difficult try. Mu Liang Wen Wang is a good new start for Dou Wei.
01 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “???” (09:25) from “Shan Dou Ji Shi Ye” (2005)
02 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?????” (05:04) from “Shan Dou Ji Shi Ye” (2005)
03 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?????” (12:39) from “Shan Dou Ji Shi Ye” (2005)
04 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “??” (09:21) from “Shan Dou Ji Shi Ye” (2005)
05 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?” (04:57) from “Ji Ran Pin Qi Guo” (2005)
06 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?” (05:24) from “Ji Ran Pin Qi Guo” (2005)
07 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?” (06:36) from “Ji Ran Pin Qi Guo” (2005)
08 Mu Liang Wen Wang: “?” (09:51) from “Ji Ran Pin Qi Guo” (2005)
With Five Primary Elements, Beijing-based sound designer Wang Fan offers one hour of pure meditation, a piece of soothing electronica where nature speaks; no break beats or high-frequency BPM tempos here. Much like being lost in a tropical forest, with all the modern comforts – naturally. Wang is a composer and vocalist, a pioneer in China’s experimental/improvised music scene. Born in 1970 in Lanzhou, Gansu province, he relocated to Beijing in 1996. The same year the self-taught minimalist noise-maker created China’s first formal experimental music piece. Ten years later, he’s still at it, experimenting and mingling sounds together. On this release, Wang has ventured out of town, out of Beijing at least. The CD is filled with the sounds of nature: flowing water, singing birds, quivering leaves and Buddhist bells, woven, with no small degree of poetry, into a synth matrix. At the seventeenth minute, ethnic vocals and drums offer a semblance of melody. At the twenty-fifth minute, the human voice is exchanged for the sound of wind. At the forty-seventh minute, one hears reeds bending in the wind. In a world of facile pop purée, Wang’s experimental music offers an alternate reality we should all meditate on. That is if music, in any form, doesn’t interfere with your cosmic vibes.
01 Wang Fan: “Five Primary Elements” from “ Five Primary Elements” (2006)
Feng Hao, experimental musician, sound artist, improviser and graphic designer. Born in Hefei China in 1976. He majored in painting. Member of experimental duo Walnut Room. Founder of experimental band Amoeba and Show Oligarch.
Yoshiaki Nagumo is a Japanese experimental musician based in Narita, Japan.
01 FengHao: “11/06/2002” (06:01) from “Sound” (2007)
02 FengHao: “28/06/2002” (05:10) from “Sound” (2007)
03 FengHao: “02/07/2002” (07:40) from “Sound” (2007)
04 FengHao: “14/07/2002” (05:18) from “Sound” (2007)
05 FengHao: “23/07/2002” (07:17) from “Sound” (2007)
06 FengHao: “29/07/2002” (07:28) from “Sound” (2007)
07 Yoshiaki Nagumo: “Slow Burn” (9:58) from “Summer Wired The Shadow” (2006)
08 Yoshiaki Nagumo: “Skyliner” (12:30) from “Summer Wired The Shadow” (2006)
|
|
