THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

Arguably, Germany gave birth to electronic music. As anyone who’s ever partied there can attest. Of course, electronic music has branched out considerably since its early days, from pounding house, to, well, Naomi’s unique brand of chill-out electronic pop. "Pappelallee is a slow and relaxed album," Nico Tobias, one-half of the Berlin-based band told that’s.
Before forming Naomi, Tobias and friend Bernd Lechler, gigged in separate bands, with little or no success. Fed up with straightforward songwriting (and no money), the pair decided to try their luck with electronic music.
"We started to play around with samples and drumloops and that's how Naomi started," says Lechler. Several tracks and remixes later, they perfected their now trademark sound with the release of their debut album Everyone Loves You in 2002. The single "Go", chosen for an Amnesty International TV spot and broadcast all over Germany, won instant success.
This second album, released in Shanghai by Hinote Records, is more personal and named after the street, "Pappelallee" or Poplar Alley" in Germany, where the band lives. The CD cover features a blue monkey face. Says Lechler, "There’s one song on the album called "King Kong Is Not Dead", and that title inspired our art designer to try out the monkey cover. Once you've seen it, you won't forget it."
"King Kong", along with "Fade Out" and "October", are as warm and consoling as a cup of coffee sipped in a comfortable armchair on a rainy day. Pop elements with acoustic guitars, melodeon, jazz ballads and a hint of reggae are thrown into an electronic universe. Vocals add another distinctive ingredient, and play an important part in the catchiness and accessibility of Naomi’s music. "Including vocals is natural for us," says Lechler. "We like to build instrumental tracks, but at the same time we are songwriters in our hearts, and that will always come through. Call us electronic songwriters."

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
July 2005 issue

This new Chinese release of Placebo's singles won't disappoint long-time fans or those new to the band’s brand of urban rock. Influenced by the Pixies and Iggy Pop, Placebo delivers a simple, but effective, blend of punk, pop, glam and alternative rock. With 17 tracks culled from four albums and listed in chronological order, this compilation provides an effective overview of their evolution after nearly a decade of recording.
From their debut album Placebo to the latest, more accessible (commercial?), Sleeping with Ghosts, Placebo’s music documents the band’s evolving state of mind: from teenage angst, sexual doubt and self-centeredness, to maturity.
In later tracks, listeners will notice that lead singer Brian Molko's voice has improved over the years, thanks to stage experience and a rocker's diet of booze and cigarettes. This record, however, is no cut and paste product, rather it's a reworking of their best tunes. For instance, on "Without You I am Nothing," Molko shares vocals with friend David Bowie, while the original "Protect Me" is swapped for a French version, "Protége Moi."
Two previously unreleased cuts, "I Do" and "Twenty Years" offer insight into the group’s future direction. Overall, this CD offers a great introduction to the band and provides enough fresh material for those who already have the first four releases. One question: where is the classic "Nancy Boy" that brought the boys to fame?

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
July 2005 issue

Once upon a time, singer-composer Lin Di met bass player Su Yong. Together they self-produced a demo album (Flying) under the name Cold Fairyland. Later on, the pair was joined by three other musicians they’d met and befriended in bars. For the last four years, the band has performed all around China and won fame, if not fortune, in the alternative scene.
In 2003, they released a demo album The Zoon of Stranger (available at www.miyadudu.com). Influenced by Portishead and Pink Floyd, their sound is similar to dream pop, but darker in tone and with the addition of folk elements, exemplified by the cello and pipa, for example. Their ethereal melodies blend feedback and sonic textures with indecipherable vocals akin to Faye Wong or the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Frazer.
Lin Di also has a solo career, one that affords a living; she’s released three world-music albums on a Taiwanese label. The band performs both her solo work and their own music once a month at the ARK Live House in Xintiandi. Cold Fairyland offers all the proof you need that the Shanghai music scene is alive and kicking. With two new works scheduled for summer release, well, what can we say. Stay tuned…

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
July 2005 issue

When Brit Keith Gordon met American Jon Taylor, they established, with two laptops and a small keyboard, "Ryukyu Underground;" named after the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, where Okinawa is located. Obsessed with the sound of Okinawa, they blend subsonic bass, ambient sounds and beats with traditional Japanese vocals. This third release is a neatly packaged two-hour, two-CD florilegium of their best; remixed and rearranged by some of the best talent on the planet – Kid Loco, Junkie XL, Bill Laswell, Dub Farm, to name but a few – in studios around the world.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
July 2005 issue

On first listening to Oriental is Beautiful 2, which blends down-tempo grooves and lounge music with Indian and Tibetan influences, it seems the perfect compilation to load up after a wild night out. From Indian/Enigma sounds of Bocanada’s "Fuego", to the catchy percussion and hypnotic Tibetan vocals of David Visan and Michael Winter’s "Tamtra Tibet", to sitar samples and recurrent break beats of Badarali Kan’s "Black Night", this CD just gets better with repeated listenings.
Zeb’s "Romantic" is probably the most emblematic, catchy and delightful track on offer. Featuring Asian string and woodwind instruments and percussion mixed with electronic vibes, this cut pays tribute to its ancient roots with a rich modern sound. The CD bonus track, "Oriental Soft Mixed", includes prime cuts mixed and faded by DJ La Matt.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
July 2005 issue