[MP3 Monday]: Fading Horizon
By Morgan Short, Apr 27th, 2009 | In Nightlife
MP3 Monday is a weekly SmartShanghai column, serving up mp3s from bands living and making music in China (or coming to China, or thinking about coming to China, or whatever). Right click on the links and choose "Save Link As..." to download 'em. Click play to rock 'em.
This week's MP3s come Nanjing four-piece Fading Horizon, who were just in town this past Saturday touring behind their debut album on Miniless Records, "name it yourself." They were also the opening act the week before for Re-TROS -- maybe you saw them if you managed to cram into that one. Or maybe you heard just them, because it was too packed to get inside, and you were in the park having a few beers, thinking, "hmm that's sounds pretty good. I wonder who that is." I missed both shows but caught the band coming out of the bar on Saturday, accosting them with something like, "Oh I heard it online. Very good. Can I steal your MP3s?" I can't remember if they said yes or not, but we'll just assume they did.
We first heard from Fading Horizon a while back in this older MP3 Monday, when Miniless records label impresario Hans (also the songer/guitar player of the LOS, click here for their MP3 Monday) sent over an earlier version of a song from this album. This is what he had to say about it back then: "Imagine a ruined city covered by polar night with huge alien warships hovering in the sky."
That's a pretty good way to describe what Fading Horizon sound like. It's basically very cinematically bleak noise rock, with the reverb and delay cranked on the guitars, echo-ey speak/scream vocals, some bleeps and blips on top, and a plodding drumbeat driving it all. Lot of ebbing and flowing, and screamy crescendos. On first listen it sounds similar to The Re-TROS with an added layer of feedback fuzz on top, and some extra studio tomfoolery (like sampling Bruce Lee and switching the left/rights back and forth to make it sound phased).
If you like the Re-TROS, this band will be right up your alley. Alternately if you like Bauhaus, Fugazi, The Wedding Present, or My Bloody Valentine, you'll also be in good shape.
Fading Horizon ¨C Labyrinth
Fading Horizon ¨C Twice
Fading Horizon were just in town twice so it might be a while before we see them again, although you can order this CD through the Miniless Records webpage right here. Miniless also sells CDs over Taobao, so have a look there as well. Also, as the label is now calling Shanghai home-base, keep an eye out for future shows of theirs. They've got quite a catalog these days, so watch out for this record on their merch label, and you might as well bring some extra money to grab some other Miniless swag as well.
Here is Fading Horizon on the web: MySpace; Douban.
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