MusicDish*China Sounds Pod3 - The Chinese Indie Triangle

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This edition of the MusicDish*China Sounds podcast presented by Metal Postcard Records features bands from China's main music hubs - Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai - as well as our first artist interview with Poubelle International.

The podcast opens with Hong Kong's rock monsters DP, which recently took the stage at Austin's SXSW conference. We originally played DP's single "Supermegadon" in our inaugural podcast, and they have since been putting the finishing touches to their full-length, self-titled debut release. The track "Man Thresher" will be released on a double A-side 7' with their track "My Hyena" this spring. Also, keep an eye out for the band's collaboration with multi-talented Quan Yeomans to create a video for their track Velvet Tiger. The video is set for release in the coming weeks.

DP recently shared the stage with our featured band Poubelle International on March 27th during the "Music For Your Marrow," a benefit concert to support the Hong Kong Bone Marrow Service. We first mentioned Poubelle International when they played the closing music performances for the 2009 Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism - Architecture: 'Bring Your Own Biennale' (BYOB). We then promised to play my favorite track "The Sell Out," and we kept our word and more. Sean Hocking interviews band leader Ben McCarthy on the group's name, their recent shows in Manila, Philippines, their new EP "Avec La Boom" and track The Battle of Trafalgar Square.

Off to Shanghai for a pleasant surprise called The Curry Soap, a solo project by Muscle Snog's synth player and vocals Vivien Albarn. Their song "Little Northern Europe" reunites Vivien with Muscle Snog drummer Zheng Ke. The song reminds me of the sounds of Beijing-based White and would be perfect for more high-brow anime.

Staying with Shanghai, we discover the gentle post-rock self-titled single from 21g, named after the movie "21 grams" by Mexico director Alejandro González Iñárritu. Formed in 2004, the 4-piece band released their debut album "21 grams" two years later.

Another one of my personal favorite bands that laid the foundation for Beijing's indie scene is Hedgehog. The band was part of the Sing For China tour last year, joining Queen Sea Big Shark and Casino Demon for 22 days across 18 cities. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing more on "B-side Lovers," a brand new group formed by Hedgehog members Zijian and Atom. In the meantime, we're playing Apart from Hedgehog's 2007 album "Noise Hit World."

We wrap up the podcast with something one does not often find associated with chinese music: political speech. Songwriter Ah-P with Hong Kong band My Little Airport penned a song on the city's Chief Executive Donald Tsang called "Donald Tsang, Please Die," whose video on YouTube is about to break the 100,000 mark.