Since the Cold War went on hiatus, the underground rock of Russia,
China, and other countries once closed off to the West is being heard a
little more widely in the US and Western Europe. China’s White is a
coed duo (Shenggy, vocals, percussion, and samples; Shou Wang, vocals,
guitar, and organ) and its Western debut was recorded in Berlin and
produced by Einsturzende Neubaten’s Blixa Bargeld.
White’s sleek, spartan, and somewhat harrowing approach recalls
punk-era electronic combos Suicide and Throbbing Gristle and pre-punk
minimalist electro-rockers Kraftwerk — for the most part, forget
verse-chorus-verse song structure and instrumental solos. Vocals in
Chinese and English, more spoken and chanted than sung, are set to
detached and distant-seeming rhythms and bits of melody and
embellishment by guitar, organ, and theremin. The somewhat lilting
“Bai” is practically a ringer for Stereolab, except the rhythmic
undertow is far more sinister than seductive. The eerie “Space Decay”
could be either a tribute to or a satire of space-rock bands such as
Hawkwind, Amon Duul, or Pink Floyd — instruments hum, buzz, and
crackle while voices drift in and out of phase. The mechanized cadence
of “Conch Crunch” conveys the austere, strictly regulated ambience of
… a factory, a school, or a society?
White has clearly learned well from its Western forebears without
succumbing to imitation. Further, White shows the duo is wise
enough to offset the gloom with drollery and alluring, almost soothing,
waves of sound. (Open Note)
