Labels: Dance Tonight! – Frohike – Hansei – Hidden Rainbows – Respira – Teeth Like Trees
Review by: Oli Saunders
I received copies of this 7” from David of Hansei records a few days back and I have been really looking to sitting down and giving the record a good listen and writing a review. Finally it’s Saturday morning and I’m ready to go!
First, before I discuss the record, I just want to say how much I love the concept of joint label projects, particularly labels all around the world. It epitomises what DIY music is about to a large degree, individuals from different countries getting involved in releasing music that they love, becoming friends in the process, splitting the costs so that its easily affordable and then trading / selling it to individuals / distros also all around the world who want to listen to it. It’s so fucking great. Involved in this release are three Italian labels, one German label, one from Russia, and David’s label from Scotland. Three hundred copies on black vinyl, really nice artwork, a CDr included with the vinyl, the package is awesome. All for just £3 ppd too, it’s ridiculous.
Obviously this would all be for nothing if Chinese Dama sucked, but fortunately they don’t. Hailing from Italy, they play modern screamo with fast guitars with the usual melodic feel, and screamed vocals. The music is urgent in places, calmer in others. Obvious
points of reference are their Italian peers La Quiete, Khere, Endless Inertia, etc. It’s got that European sound which has developed over the past 5 or so years and which I cannot got enough of. It sounds a hell of a lot like La Quiete in places to be honest, which
I’m completely happy about but I guess you could argue it’s not particularly original. In other places they distinguish themselves a bit more. I personally love this sound so see no reason to change it, as long as bands add their own individuality into it which invariably happens.
Possibly my favorite song is track 4, Sguardi. It has a nice calm intro with spoken vocals, then it gets going and after a minute really kicks in. The vocals are awesome here, there’s a real urgency and I just get really into it. I’m a sucker for instrumental tracks which go crazy at the end too, and the last track Fuoco does this. The other three songs are also really good, and after listening to the record a few times I’d say this is a quality screamo release, not spectacular but something that a fan of the genre should without question check out.
14 February 2009