10 Years On: Exploring the Contrast and Contradiction Central to Beijing Band Silent Speech

While it’s common for rock outfits to pad out their sound over the years to appease the mainstream market, aiming for a slicker and blander arena rock sound, Silent Speech have stuck to their guns over the past ten years, forging indie rock that swoons one moment and explodes the next. 

Their patience paid off last year when they were signed to Ruby Eyes Records, followed by the release of their robust first EP, City Bird earlier this year. Effortlessly maneuvering from one style to another they’re a melodic, emotional wry, and instrumentally charged blend of '90s alt-rock that’s above all else genuine and assured.

Led by singer Wu Xiaoran, whose anguished timbre flows in and out of the songs, and rounded out by a trio of skilled musicians in the form of Shi Xin (guitar), Erzu (drums), and Fred Shi (bass), they have a knack for building up their songs in unexpected ways, luring listeners into a spell-like trance before dovetailing into cascading prog-rock-laced jam. Intricately constructed, their songs are rich in their layers, each one essential to the band’s scope that matches the high stake emotions found within.

We chatted with the band as they close out their nationwide tour in support of their EP with one last home turf gig this Friday, May 24 at School Bar. 

It's hard to believe you guys have been around for ten years now! That's a long stretch between formation and record deal. Were there ever moments where you wanted to throw in the towel?
This, we feel, has a lot to do with the way this band operates; not one member's involvement is a coincidence, but a decision after lengthy consideration. When frontman Wu Xiaoran and guitarist Shi Xin founded the band, it took them three years of discussion and experimentation to settle on the aesthetics and the drive behind the band. They knew both bassist Fred and drummer Erzu for over two years too, before them coming on board. The mutual trust was there before any music was discussed, and hence everyone knows each other's role and strengths very well. 

If Silent Speech were one person, guitarist Shi Xin would be the heart of the band, pumping blood to the entire body, while Fred is the bones supporting the weight and connecting them all together. Erzu is like the brain, where logic and emotions meet, while Wu Xiaoran is the skin and flesh that first meets the eye, and makes that vital first impression.

At the moment musically, ideas are brought in by Shi Xin and Wu Xiaoran, then everyone adds in their own interpretation. So much so that some songs turn out completely different from the original idea, we really enjoy this process. 

Of course, members fight over things that hadn't been discussed before, but because of that 'unspoken agreement' mentioned above, they don't get in the way of our creative process. And because of that, we've never really thought of giving up because of these hardships.

The name Silent Speech fits the band like a glove – what's the meaning behind it?
'Silent Speech' the name, implies contradiction and contrast. And you can say that about many people or things, being contradictory; or your best friend, having a 'Silent Speech.’ 

What I mean is, there's a Silent Speech in all of us, you can change that to 'Shy Fury' or 'Muted Scream,' etc., and those names would just be labels. There's a clash and contrast between the static and the moving, and that reflects a state within everyone. Someone can give a great speech on stage but be extremely introverted, others seldom express themselves but are screaming, raging inside. 

The twists and turns in your music make every song feel like a full meal. Who were some of your biggest influences growing up? 
We don't like to be labeled by genres, at least thatʼs what we try to work towards. Although there are traces of influences from music pioneers at different times, they themselves learned from the pioneers before them. We've actually had this conversation before as a band! And thought it'd be fun to name a person of influence to each of us, and have them come together as a hypothetical band, and that would be lead singer: Charles Thompson (Pixies), guitar: Jeff Beck, bass: Jaco Pastorius, and drummer: Steve Lamos (American Football). What a lineup!

A lot of work must go into making your intricate and rigorous music. How do you gauge when to hold back and let a song breathe or when to unleash the rock and roll demons? 
These 'Silent Speech' songs, indeed took a while to get to where they are. This is mainly because we all have different understandings of music, and therefore it takes time to find the common ground. There are ideas that don't fit in the narrative of the band (a good few dozen), and you may find them in members' solo projects perhaps, or other band projects.

Regarding the contrasts and changes in each song, we tend to go back and forth, finding what excites each of us, and experiment. This helps and everyone can own it when they play their part. Most of the times we don't put too much thought into how the audience would perceive them. That isn't to say we don't want the songs to be liked, but we want to fulfill our own self-expression before that. 

This one's for Shi Xin: Iʼm always impressed when I see someone whip out a trumpet onstage, especially if they are the lead singer. How do you balance these two disciplines?
There's a saying in China: 饱吹饿唱 bǎo chuī è chàng – meaning (you should) play the wind instrument full while singing on an empty stomach. I sometimes struggle to get a balanced breath on stage, but I think of the trumpet as an extension of my voice, and the voice as an instrument. These thoughts ease me up. Also if you pay attention, we don't put two songs with trumpet together.

To help me get a better voice, I have a can of Coke or some sweets before the stage, but these carbonates and sugar corrode brass instruments, something again I find very 'Silent Speech.’

At one point, the band was spread out across China. How much do work and the various requirements of life affect the band?
Yes, our former drummer Iris now lives in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and it had been difficult to stay in a creative mode when you don't physically see each other often. (Maybe technology will help with that in the near future?) Fortunately, Erzu joined us, and Iris who is still a good friend to all of us is visiting from HK and might play a couple of songs at School Bar this Friday. But now we've found some balance between the band and other facets of life, for example, we have all given up some of the material comforts for the band. But money is always an issue for an independent band, we're glad to have made some decisions along the way to get us where we are now.

Also, we're very grateful to the friends who have been extremely understanding. Shi Xin and Wu Xiaoran also have a video production studio, and now that the focus is shifted onto the band, other partners of the studios understood it and even took on some extra workload. So we're very grateful to the people who have been helping us, and try to be the best musically as we can be.

This will be your the last gig of your nationwide tour. Any memorable sets or moments on your travels? 
It was fun to be on the road! But more importantly, it's a process of unleashing the energy and discovering the problems. We really enjoyed all of it. And the sit down with a cold drink after the gig, full of sweat, talking about what went well and what didn't, is the moment you realize that it's all worth it. 

Catch Silent Speech for the release of their new EP at School Bar on May 24 at 9pm. Tickets are RMB 80 advance or RMB 100 on the door.

READ: 5 Bands to Watch at This Year's RYE Music Festival, May 25-26

Image: Linc, Silent Speech