'Dark Show' - New EP by AM444 is out now!

At last the dynamic duo of ChaCha and Jay Soul (AM444) have their new EP Dark Show out!  The new EP has more of an electronic and futuristic sound than previous releases with Cha Cha's smoky and hypnotic vocals weaving their spell over the listener.  They have a fantastic video for the title track Dark Show, which suits the mood of the EP perfectly, directed by American director Eric Ransdell (Fly Films):

 

AM444's track Guai Meng (weird dreams in Chinese) from their previous album Rooms, featured on the soundtrack to the Michael Mann film Blackhat (a Sino American thriller starring Chinese film starts Tang Wei, Wang Lihong and “Thor” Chris Hemsworth). Sadly the track couldn't save the film, not even the dynamic duo AM444 could manage that feat.

Dark Show is an EP full of atmosphere; the darker side of life in the metropolis of Shanghai, a futuristic noir, a Blade Runner for the ears!

AM444 plan to tour in the latter part of 2015...Watch this space....

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/am444/sets/dark-show-ep

Buy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dark-show-ep/id979196063  /  am444.bandcamp.com

See also:

http://am444.com

chachashanghai.tumblr.com

Cha Cha's Chinese Bass Culture Music Picks

Happy New Year everyone. Already looking like this is going to be a fantastic year for my favourite Chinese singer Cha Cha!
Check out this fantastic playlist she has compiled for the Red Bull Music Academy web site:

www.redbullmusicacademy.com/magazine/cha-cha-chinese-countdown

Cha Cha and MC Webber's new demo is out now, take a listen to some cool Chinese Hip Hop here:
http://soundcloud.com/chachachina/prod-chacha-webber

Cha Cha and Jay Soul have also been teaming up again so expect some killer beats and soulful singing in your lug holes pretty soon.

I'm still on an Xmas break from Resonance FM, will be back broadcasting Sat 14th Jan. Zaijian!

Lucky Cat S6 Ep7 (26th Nov 2011) Playlist & Podcast

Photo taken Shanghai 2011, myself and Cha Cha, copyright ZB.


Here's yesterday's show which features my interview with the amazingly talented singer and musician Cha Cha. I really enjoyed speaking with Cha Cha - the original interview was about an hour and a half so I had to cut to a lot of material but I hope I kept in the essence of Cha Cha's creative positivity and passion for music. Cha Cha also made some insightful comments about life in China, especially in a big city like Shanghai. It was truly a pleasure speaking wither her, I hope that you enjoy listening.
I think I'm a bit of a superfan now! Will bring you all the Cha Cha news as and when I get it, big tings a gwaan for this lady...

Playlist:

• Uprooted Sunshine mix track - Cha Cha
  
• Money Slaves - Cha Cha with Disrput (Bass Shelter EP on Jahtari label)
  
• One Day You'll Know - Cha Cha & Rankin Joe (Randys label 10")
  
• Love is the Drug - Kode 9 Spaceape feat Cha Cha (from the album Black Sun)
  
• 神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao) - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• Eye Wonder - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• Eye Know - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• 末日前相见 - Along with Cha Cha (exclusive)
  
• Love song - Cha Cha (Clive Chin production, unreleased)
  

Exclusive Cha Cha Interview on today's show

On today's show check out my exclusive interview with China's premier Reggae and Soul singer Cha Cha.

Based in Shanghai, Cha Cha has collaborated with a variety of international artists - The Bug, Kode 9, Rankin Joe (for Clive Chin's Randys label), Adrian Sherwood and Vibronics. Earlier this year Cha Cha teamed up with Dutch producer Jay Soul to form AM444 for the excellent funk/soul/dub album Eye Wonder.

Currently Cha Cha is at the Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid - the first ever mainland Chinese participant!

Recent collaborations have been with Chinese Hip Hop MCs and producers.

Earlier this year Cha Cha visited the UK for the first time and I recorded an exclusive interview where Cha Cha talks about her musical roots and the emerging Shanghai bass culture music scene.

Listen Live today at 3.30pm (UK) on Resonance 104.4FM in London or via www.resonancefm.com anywhere.

See also:
Subculture Shanghai
Cha Cha on Red Bull Academy Radio

In Berlin? Cha Cha is performing at the Worldtronics Festival on 1st December with Disrupt - Reach!

Playlist & podcast for today's show uploaded shortly....

One More Day - Cha Cha +WordySoulspeak EP

Cha Cha+WordySoulspeak's new EP One More Day is on soundcloud now (free download)
http://soundcloud.com/chachachina/sets/one-more-day-chacha/

ChaCha and Beijing DJ Wordy and producer Soulspeak team up for this Hip Hop/Soul EP.

Go Cha Cha! Great title track, do your ears a favour and download it!

Cha Cha news - Europe here she comes:

Monday 14th November - Montana Sagrada with ChaCha (live) - Club Nasti, Madrid

Thursday 1st December - Disrupt & ChaCha (live) - Worldtronics Festival, Berlin

I'm Back Again! Lucky Cat Series 6

I will be back on Resonance 104.4FM for Lucky Cat Series 6 next month. The first show will air on Saturday 15th October at 3.30pm and I will be on every week up until Chinese New Year in 2012. I'm editing all of my China audio for the new series and was just listening to the recording I made in Paul Au's wonderful record shop - this track by Paula Tsui was playing.


(Photo shows Cha Cha and I @ Shelter Club, Shanghai 2011)

I am very excited to announce I will broadcast an exclusive interview with China's premier Reggae & Soul singer, the hugely talented Cha Cha. Big congratulations to Cha Cha who is the first ever Chinese mainland national to be accepted into the Red Bull Music Academy. Cha Cha will be at the Academy this October, where she will have the opportunity to work with fellow talented musicians, producers and DJs from ll over the world. Maximum Respect to Cha Cha!

AM444 Video for 'Eye Wonder'

Love the video and the track. Been meaning to post this for a while but I was having a real non-computer life - which as the song suggests might be a good idea!

More from the Shanghai crew here: http://subcultureshanghai.com/

Watch this space for new of a Cha Cha interview I'll be recording very soon....

Back from China

I am back from my whirlwind trip to China - 3 cities in 11 nights! I ate my way around Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong; took plenty of photos, kept a food diary, partied, went sight-seeing, bought records, got a qipao made, made friends, visited old friends, took planes, trains, ferries, rickshaws, trams and taxis!

I recorded some material whilst in China which I plan to share via my radio show and podcasts. I only have 2 episodes left of Lucky Cat Series 5 and I feel like I have so much to share now. I will podcast whilst off air and I will be back for series 6 in September.

You may be surprised to learn that this was in fact my first ever trip to China! For a Sinophile like myself it was a long awaited dream come true. It was only a snapshot of a huge country and I experienced a mixture of emotions, including amazement and at times disappointment - I will expand on this more in future posts. It wasn't all a bowl of cherries (or jujube berries?) but then China also inspired and astounded me too.



I wanted to interview the brilliant Chinese singer Cha Cha whilst I was in Shanghai but did not get the chance (though we did manage to do a little partying at the bassy basement club Shelter). Here is the video from the cool dubby track '神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao)' by AM444 (a collaboration between Cha Cha and Dutch producer Jay Soul). This is taken from the album 'Eye Wonder' . Really like the artwork for the album, done by local artist Nini Sum.

Cha Cha and soon to be hubby Gaz Williams will be over in the UK this Summer so I hope to catch up with her then for an interview and maybe some jamming in the studio....
For more Shanghai related shennanigans check out Gaz's web site for his Shelter nightclub:
http://subcultureshanghai.com/.
I was at the club for the release of SIG's new album, more to come on that in a future post...

New Release on Randys Label - Chinese Reggae!

The brand new limited edition 10" vinyl of Shanghai singer Cha Cha and Jamaican DJ Ranking Joe is out now! The track One Day You'll Know is a combination duet with Cha Cha singing in Mandarin and Ranking Joe toasting in English over a Rico Rodgriguez rhythm. Produced by Mr Clive Chin (Randys, Impact!), who recorded Cha Cha whilst in China on tour last year.

SIDE A
1. One Day You’ll Know- Cha Cha & Ranking Joe
2. One Day You’ll Know Dub – Rico & The Alpha Boys

SIDE B
1. One Day You’ll Know – Cha Cha
2. Rico Special (Reloaded) – Rico & The Alpha Boys

Available at Dub Vendor Records. Only 500 pressed, this is a real collector's item that I heartily recommend you invest in!
The tune is perfect for summer and has a really nice vibe to it, plus you get the original rhythm track instrumental too. I am a big fan of Cha Cha's (see also her tunes on the Jahtari label and upcoming Adrian Sherwood LP Dub No Frontiers) and am pleased that her singing is equally good as her toasting/rapping.