Lucky cat S11 E14 - Sino-grime Special

Here's last week's show which was a Sino-grime special!  To be honest I got a bit confused - is it Grime or is it Dub Step? Digital bass driven music...Whatever the genre I was surprised to really enjoy it (well it is not lovely scratchy old vinyl after all) - especially stand out track Frozen Pagoda!  
Swimful's PM2.5 (named after a pollution particle) will be released on 1st Feb on SBVKVLT label:
https://soundcloud.com/svbkvlt

Lucky Cat - 16th January 2016 by Resonance Fm on Mixcloud

'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

Today's Show - The Lucky Cat Jukebox GOLD selection!

Ni hao. On today's show I'll be playing some tracks from the Lucky Cat GOLD selection .... Earlier this year I was asked to curate 30 tracks for the Duck and Rice jukebox. The Duck and Rice is a new Chinese gastro pub opening in Soho (previously The Endurance pub). This is an Alan Yau project (Hakkasan, Yautacha etc) and promises to be amazing! Downstairs will be for drinking and bar snacking and upstairs will be fine dining. I was so excited and honoured to be asked to be a part of this wonderful project. Hope to see you at the bar or by the jukebox in 2014! Ganbei! More news as I get it.... 

Tune in to 104.4FM or via the player at resonancefm.com at 3.30pm today (UK time).  Thanks for listening.

Track listing for today's show, which is sample of the jukebox tracks + 2 brilliant Japanese surf guitar numbers:

• Taiyo Yaro - The Bunnys
• Let's Go Shake - The Bunnys
• Why Should I Remember - Poon Sow Keng
• Couple and Pairs - Unknown Chinese Singer
• Bramble Bush - Rita and Sakura
• Theme from King of Chinatown - Hong Kong in the 60's
• Wrap You Up - Long Shen Dao
• I Love Boh Boh Cha Cha - The Stylers
• Season of Wind - Anita Mui Yim Fong (the Sour Beauty RIP, pictured above)
• Broke - The Marshmallow Kisses
• One Day You'll Know - Cha Cha and Ranking Joe
• Always Together - Stephen Cheng
• Sixteen Tons - Chang Loo
• 神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao) - AM444
• Seemingly and Old Friend Comes - Anita Mui Yim Fong (from the movie Rouge
• Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Poon Sow Keng

zaijian 2013

Lucky Cat NYE 2013 by Luckycatzoe on Mixcloud

Santé and Ganbei to 2013 my friends, here's to more music in 2014 x

Daniel York's short play Song Of Four Seasons (四季歌) is @ Rich Mix Fri 17th May

Daniel York's short play Song Of Four Seasons (四季歌) has been selected for Tamasha Theatre’s next Scratch Night at Rich Mix this Friday 17th May.  The performance is script in hand but rehearsed and stars Michelle Wen Lee, Jennifer Lim and Jess Woo.

The play concerns identity, displacement and belonging. It was inspired by the singer Chinese singer Zhou Xuan and the song Four Seasons which is a tale of separation, love and small people whose lives are destroyed by big events. 

Zhou Xuan, is one of China’s great movie stars whose life was as dramatic and tragic as any of the characters she portrayed. I discussed her fascinating life and career in my radio programme on The Seven Singing Stars of Shanghai.  Her legacy lives on today and the song Four Seasons featured in the 2007 Ang Lee film Lust, Caution.

 

Daniel York's short film, Mercutio’s Dreaming: The Killing Of A Chinese Actor, was recently nominated for four awards at the WMIFF festival.
 

Daniel's full length play, The Fu Manchu Complex, will open the autumn season at Ovalhouse Theatre this October 2013. 

I spoke with Daniel, who is also the Vice Chair, Equity Minority Ethnic Members’ Committee, earlier this year about the RSC Orphan of Zhao casting controversy.  Daniel York is now part of the group British East Asian Artists. 

I am really pleased that Zhou Xuan's life and work will be brought to a wider audience with this play.  The Pathe 100 compilation of her music is highly recommended (see below).

 

 

Exclusive Chris Menist Mix on Today's Lucky Cat

Today's Lucky Cat features an exclusive mix from crate digger extraordinaire Chris Menist (pictured).

You may remember Chris came on the show last series to talk about his compilation of Vietnamese records for Dust to Digital. Chris is now, along with Maft Sai, bringing out vinyl releases of undiscovered nuggets on the labelParadise Bangkok: Zudrangma Reords.

Thank you to Chris for an astounding mix. Track listing to follow....

Soft Film Jukebox on Lucky Cat this Saturday

Soft Film Jukebox
Vintage Vinyl from Hong Kong, Singapore & Taiwan (1957-73)

This week's show features a guest mix from the vinyl collection of David Wells (aka Durian Dave). Dave is a blogger who has written extensively on Chinese cinema and has an impressive collection of movie memoribilia.

moviefanprincess.com was Dave's first web site, dedicated to Hong Kong singer, actress and 1960s teen idol Connie Chan Pao Chu.
Dave then went on to create softfilm.blogspot.co.uk: "Exploring the ephemeral past of Chinese entertainment from Hong Kong, the U.S.A., and around the world: vaudeville pioneers, flappers, aviatrices, burlesque dancers, hula hoopers, movie queens, sex bombs, jade girls, tomboys, pin-ups, sour beauties, girl jocks, swordswomen, and go-go girls." Accompanied by the tumblr: http://softfilm.tumblr.com/

His latest obsession is Taiwanese auteur and actress Pearl Chang, see: fuckyeahpearlchang.tumblr.com/

Tomorrow's mix features a marvellous selection of vintage Singaporean, Chinese & Taiwanese vinyl goodies from the vaults of a Sinophile extraordinaire. Thanks Dave! Tune in at 3.30pm GMT on Resonance 104.4FM

Exclusive Hong Kong in the 60s mix on today's Lucky Cat

Today's show features an exclusive mix by hauntological hipster band Hong Kong in the 60s.
Tracklisting:

• 01) Hong Kong In The 60s - The Flower Of Quince House
• 02) Jane Birkin - L'Aquoiboniste
• 03) Lio - Sage Comme Une Image
• 04) Charo - Dance A Little Bit Closer
• 05) Harry Hosono & The Yellow Magic Band - Paraiso
• 06) Gigliola Cinquetti - Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
• 07) Ennio Morricone - Samba In Tribunale (from The Cat OST)
• 08) Gato Barbieri - Girl In Black: Tango (from Last Tango In Paris OST)
• 09) Teresa Teng - 忘記他
• 10) Chang Siao Ying - 第二夢
• 11) Ho & Duck - [title unknown]
• 12) Chang Loo - Da Yu Mang
• 13) Liu Yun - Ban Qiao Dui Chang
• 14) The Ocean Tango - Stills (excerpt)
• 15) Margo Guryan - Timothy Gone
• 16) Mai & Yumiko-Chan - Akogare No Machi (from Kiki's Delivery Service OST)
• 17) Dave Grusin - Girl And Tea (from The Yakuza OST)
• 18) Hong Kong In The 60s - Banbury Grove

for more info on the new HK60s EP Collision/Detection (the second project from Long Division with Remainders, a collaborative experimental music project)see: http://hongkonginthe60s.com/2012/07/16/collisiondetection-new-ep-coming-in-august/ Talkover music and final track on today's show is I-Society by Madtone.

Chinese Visual Festival Podcast

Here's the podcast of last week's special edition of Lucky Cat when I was joined live in the studio by Jing Jing Xie, Candy Ma, Ming Qiang Xie (Jeremy) and Zach Dunbar (all pictured above).

A wonderful show to record, featuring live performances of Mandarin versions of songs from the musical Sweet Charity by Boulevard Productions. Music from reknowned pipa player Wang Ting is also featured.

Both Boulevard productions and Wang Ting will be performing at the Chinese Visual Festival.

Please see previous post for details. Enjoy listening!

Zoë interviewing Jing Jing Xie at Resonance FM.

The talented Candy Ma belting out Hey Big Spender, fabulous!

Ming Qiang Xie (Jeremy) and Zach Dunbar of Boulevard Productions.

Thanks to James Mudge for the photos.

Lucky Cat S6 Ep5 (12th Nov 2011) - Edine Kwok's Mix

Here's Saturday's show. Please see my previous post for the playlist. Edine Kwok pictured. Thank you Edine for a lovely mixture of music for Lucky Cat.
Check out the Tramgirl Karaoke Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tramgirl-Karaoke-Club/291404880888315


In this episode I blathered on about food I sampled in Shanghai. Highlights were Taiwanese peanut butter ice cream and Xinjiang lamb skewers (pictured above).
I also frequented bubble tea / crazy drinks emporium Happy Lemon. Cute graphics + ice milk tea with taro = happy.

Lucky Cat Sat 5th Nov Playlist

Today's playlist:

• Audio recorded in Jingshan Park, Beijing April 2011
  
• Can't Buy Me Love - Cantonese Version of the Beatles track
  
• When I Saw Her Standing There - Cantonese Version of the Beatles track
  
• Lonely Weekend - Kitty Lam (Diamond label 45)
  
• Wonderful Life - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• Dim Moon - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• ? - Lucky Records 45 (pictured)
  
• ? - HK EMI 45 (pictured, red/black/white cover)
  
• Love of Rose - Kitty Lam (Diamond label 45)
  
• Mama - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• Girls are Flowers OST - Connie Chan (from the 1966 film 姑娘十八一朵花, OST EP, pictured)
  
• My Fantoms - Hong Kong in the 60's
  
• Arcade Addict - Disrupt (Jahtari)
  

A big THANK YOU to Hong Kong in the 60's for their amazing jingle.

Lucky Cat every Saturday 3.30pm (UK) 104.4FM www.resonancefm.com
Podcast to follow....

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

Happy Mid Autumn Moon Festival

Some moon based music for ya:





Check out these extravagant Hong Kong mooncakes.

Also this lantern sculpture in HK is amazing (World Record Breaking in fact!): http://youtu.be/-YNtbf1WmUU

I know I'm a little late but the moon still looks spectacular tonight, Happy Autumn everyone.

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....

New Mix - DJ set from Electric Sheep Anthology Launch

Electric Sheep Anthology - Launch Party Mix by Luckycatzoe on Mixcloud

Here are the tunes I played at the launhc party for The End: An Electric Sheep Anthology earlier this month. A lovely book with articles on cult and world cinema and some great illustrations too. My favorite is a full page illustration of Gong Li's face taken from the shot at the end of the Zhang Yimou movie Ju Dou.

Excellent Radio Piece on Flutist Guo Yue

Heard this by chance on BBC Radio 3 the otehr day. A very nice interview with flutist Guo Yue who grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China. You can listen again via the iPlayer if in UK:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011txy8/Between_the_Ears_On_the_Rubble_of_My_Home_I_Played_My_Flute/

Also check out this Youtube clip:


You can buy his 2006 CD Music, Food and Love and find out more at Real World Records.

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...

Podcast & Playlist Lucky Cat Series 5 Ep3 (29th Jan 2011)

For Episode 3 I was joined by Adam Torel of Third Window Films. Third Window distribute East Asian films in the UK - mainly Japanese titles - that are not just your average action / horror shockers. I spoke to Adam about how he selects films for distribution and some of the key directors that Third Windows showcase; Miki Satoshi, Sion Sono and Tetsuya Nakashima. I shall be reviewing Nakashima' upcoming release Confessions in Episode 5 of Lucky Cat.
The controversial Confessions of a Dog (pictured above) - an expose of corruption in the Japanese police - will be shown on 16th Feb at the ICA in London.
The first East Winds Film Festival is in Coventry 11th to 13th February.

Adam Torel is also a keen vinyl collector and kindly brought in some of his J-Pop and Northern Soul treasures.

Playlist:

Tonight - The Chantals (7" Jpop)
Carnival - Apache (7" late 1970s Jpop girl group, copy of the band Candies, see also Pink Lady)
Japanese Title - Soft Cream (7" 80's idol Jpop)
A Ton of Dynamite - Frankie the Love Man Crocker (Turbo label 7")
Gold of My Life - Mixed Emotions (7" on Rockway label 1975)
The above selections are all from Adam Torel's record bag.
Going to the River - Eric 'Monty. Morris (Blue Beat label 7")

The Dim Sum Lunch Box contained a review of Japanese / Brazilian restaurant Sushinho.

Lucky Cat Podcast Series 5 Ep 2 (22nd Jan 2011)

Here's last week's show, please see the playlist below.


Coming up this Saturday 29th Jan:
I will be joined in the studio by Adam Torel from Third Window Films. The Third Window Films brand was born in 2005 when its film-loving founders grew bored of the stream of worn-out shock horror vehicles from the Far East. Previous releases have included Memories of Matsuko (Tetsuya Nakashima, Japan), The President’s Last Bang (Sang-soo Im, Korea) and Twichfilm.net’s film of the year Love Exposure (Sion Sono, Japan). Adam Torel will be spinning some of tracks from his collection of 1960s Northern Soul and 80s J-pop as well as discussing Third Window’s releases and the upcoming East Winds Film Festival.

Korean Avant Garde - Music & Films @ Cafe Oto

If you're in London town tonight why not pop along to this:
Balloon and Needle: The New Korean Avant Garde
(Three Day Residency) @ Cafe Oto
Exploring the unique sonic and visual world of a group of young South Korean artists and noise makers.

Choi Joonyong (cracked CD players)
Hong Chulki (turntables)
Ryu Hankil (self‐made electro‐acoustic instruments)
Jin Sangtae (cracked hard‐drive)
Lee Hangjun (16mm film projection)

Collaborations from UK artists such as Benedict Drew as well.

Info:
www.cafeoto.co.uk/balloon-and-needle.shtm