Shazam Around The World: Asian Indie
In our endless search for the newest sounds across the globe, this week we have a look at the world of Asian Indie pop through some interesting recent releases. We begin in South Korea with EE, a boy-girl duo, currently earning rave reviews as one of the country’s best electro-pop acts. About to unveil their debut album ‘Imperfect, I’mperfect’; an eighties retro, techno pop feast that include such highlights as last year’s debut single ‘Curiosity Kills’ or the track that anticipates the record ‘High Collor’. Their highly kitsch videos, exploring the typical visual excesses of the decade they revisit, are a big part of their charm. You can watch and listen to some more EE tracks here.
In Indonesia, Tika – a veteran female vocalist of many jazz, electronic and punk ventures -has launched her second album to rapturous reception, after the first one three years ago established her as a favourite in alternative circles. This time she’s found a backing band formed by well-known local musicians and become Tika And the Dissidents. ‘The Headless Songstress’ adds a more compact sound to the melancholic reflections of the singer’s former records.
And from Indonesia to India, where actress and singer Suman Sridhar next to poet, guitar player and vocalist Jeet Thayil are giving the finishing touches to their first record. Sridhar Thayil’s musical project was formed in 2007 in Bangalore. It merges the influence of traditional Indian music with the Western vocal styles of such influential artist as Björk or Tom Waits. Their unique combination of old and new; blues; jazz; classical and avant-garde elements can be enjoyed in songs like ‘Drowning Man’ –see live video above- or the bloggers favourite ‘Bring The Light’ at their MySpace page.
