The Best Chinese Albums of 2018 So Far

With the arrival of 2018.5, the time is ripe to pause and take a look back at some of our favorite mainland Chinese albums to grace our ears so far, releases that enraptured us and had our earworms wiggling in delight. Whether it was sun-soaked dream pop, blistering post-punk, electroacoustic meanderings, post-apocalyptic club bangers, middle-finger-flicking ska punk, or retrowave odysseys, there’s a little something for everyone searching for a fresh summer jam. In no particular order:

Zoogazer - Zoogazer
While shoegaze has been seeping into the nation’s consciousness for quite some time, there’s hasn’t been a band to break through as boldly as Zoogazer has done with their full-length via Qiii Snacks Records. Hailing from Xuzhou, Jiangsu, the band has crafted a collection of infectious sun-drenched pop songs that reverberate with a heady scraping of noise bolstered by the crackling of youthful energy. This is dream pop to fall punch-drunk in love with. 

Lonely Leary - Through the Park, Almost There
Maybe Mars is having a hell of a year – besides the hotly anticipated debut from Beijing’s Backspace, the independent label has overseen releases from street punk stalwarts Demerit and Chengdu post-punk trailblazers Hiperson. However, none have hit as hard as Lonely Leary’s blistering debut – a down and dirty cesspool of paranoid angst, cool-headed melodies, jagged edges, and pummelling post-punk mania that perfectly captures the band’s live raw energy. 

The Hormones - The Hormones
Amidst prominent lineup changes and their brush with mainstream stardom, it’s a relief that The Hormones (lead singer Zhu Mengdie pictured above), the all-female indie rock band out of Chengdu, have managed to retain their edge. More of a relief is just how catchy the band’s debut is – a tightly wound, expertly produced album of somber dance punk that finds the four-piece renewed with a newfound maturity. 

Fishdoll - Noonsense
Beijing-based singer-songwriter and producer Fishdoll mesmerizes on her new beautifully realized LP – a piece of old-school jazztronica layered to the tee with inebriating flourishes, a tribute to soulful trip-hop that’s buoyant, lush, and rich with detail that plays out like a day trip to ‘90s era New York City through the lens of our increasingly globalized world. Put on Noonsense and what you get is a vibrant swirl of styles and grooves that overwhelms the senses and intoxicates.

Zafka - The Abraham’s Machine
Zafka, aka Zhang Anding, is a Beijing-based sound artist, experimental musician, and “youth culture expert.” His latest release, out of Shanghai’s emerging play rec label, is buoyant with charm and sophistication. Despite the dance-floor-ready sounds which make up The Abraham’s Machine, it’s hardly a compilation of club bangers. Instead, it takes a remarkably restrained approach to riding each new flourish that comes its way with assured ease and playful splicing, like a modern day Phantom of the Opera put through a vaporwave prism. 

Genome 6.66Mbp – Self Salvation Compilation
Genome 6.66Mbp, out of Shanghai, dabbles in a dark-minded, bombastic, artistically-elevating brand of electronica that is downright hypnotic. They also made some serious headway in 2017 and to celebrate, put out this delicious compilation chock-full of ‘forward-thinking weirdo club music’ from an array of talent from China (Hyph11e, Dirty K, RVE, Khemist, and Charity) and abroad. Genome 6.66Mbp’s music is both hauntingly mesmerizing and a firm reminder that the Chinese underground electronic scene is heading in exhilarating directions.

Baishui - Their Paradise
The latest from the Sichuan-raised composer, multi-instrumentalist, and sound artist Baishui is a multi-faceted ambitious ensemble that finds the artist expanding upon his musical eccentricities all the while retaining and sharpening his intimate and affectionate signature. Originally intended to be a purely instrumental piece using analog synthesizers, the album slowly transformed into a spirited, kinetic, electroacoustic song-oriented album that finds the musician honing his singing chops with additional help from electronic musician Yao Chunyang and Chengdu singer Yuan Tian. 

Lionman - Sea Odyssey
Hi-NRG producer Lionman, from Shenzhen, leads listeners on an exotic journey on his infectious disco love letter. What could have easily come off as trite, instead resonates with authenticity and earnestness thanks to classy vocal samples and ice-cool lyrics all seamlessly blended with Eastern flourishes. Another delectable entry in the retrowave resurgence in China – albeit one that plays out like a fever dream of Miami beaches, psychedelic raves, and arcades. A hella-good time.

Pinboard - Shock!
Guangzhou ska-punk outfit Pinboard’s beaming debut Shock! is infused with the charm and radiance that only Southern China can offer – a charged, bombastic, flailing stage dive into ‘80s/’90s-era punk rock that never lets up. That›s to say, it’s ridiculously fun. From the soundbites layered over the opening chords to the crisp and robust production, and the devil-may-cry attitude that propels each of the band members to lay it all out on each track, this is simply one of the best-sounding punk albums out there.

Xie Yugang x Serge Teyssot-Gay - A Nano World
Xie Yugang, frontman of longstanding and globally admired Dalian post-rock group Wang Wen, teams up with renowned French guitarist Serge Teyssot-Gay for A Nano World, an ambient wonderland that captures the two virtuosos finding solace as they intertwine their musical visions and philosophies. Not unlike two traveling sages who convene on a faraway mountaintop, these tracks transport the listener to exquisite lands and always find a way to invigorate – orchestras merge with electronics, classic touches meet the future, and from the center is borne something larger than life.

Hedgehog - Sound of Life Towards ...
Hedgehog, one of China’s most influential indie rock bands, return with their first release in four years, and quite possibly their last. While far from being the band’s most profound album, there’s no denying their continued knack for crafting lyrically-rich, melody-driven indie rock anthems that speak to an entire generation. In many ways, their latest is an encapsulation of the band’s many modes – from pop delights to grunge breakouts, enraged social critics, boisterous party animals, and for once, young adults who have found themselves on the other side of the mirror. 

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the labels