Low-Fi Beijing

Beijing is a city that’s constantly unfolding itself in multiple and unpredictable ways. Based in a rich and complex past, and firmly positioned for a remarkable future, the present moment is always the best time to be in the city. The present moment is the place in time where music happens, as it works out, and this city has a marvelous legacy. Chances are probably fairly high that most guests checking into a Beijing hotel will be hearing some of the more ornate sounds from the city’s finest artists as they take in the city. However, there are other traditions here as well.

It’s position in the realm of experimental music is well-regarded, and none of it would be possible without the work of Wang Fan . He moved here in the 90s, after a stint participating in the rock scene in Lanzhou , with an impulse to do something new. The result was a low-fi piece of music that was remarkable in its time for its extremely stripped minimalism. Nothing of its kind had been heard before, and even though his experience in technical aspects of music were minor, this was enough to catapult the artists into a new way of seeing and thinking about music. It goes back to that moment, then, and from here, it just moves forward in time.

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