Yin (音, “music”) is a weekly RADII column that looks at Chinese songs spanning hip hop to folk to modern experimental, and everything in between. Drop us a line if you have a suggestion.
Well, I think we could all use a little break now. Things are getting hectic. Luckily Taipei indie rock royalty Sunset Rollercoaster are here with precisely the escapist retro beach bum vibes we need right now. Here’s the brand-new video for one of their older and more popular tunes, “My Jinji”:
Though from Taipei, and beloved there, Sunset Rollercoaster also boasts a huge mainland Chinese following. In late 2019 they co-headlined a major gig at Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium, and have been known to sell out entire mainland tours online within seconds. Floating in parallel to the band’s self-described “cute prog” sound, a big part of their allure comes from the quixotic, semi-surrealist, offbeat poetic lyricism of lead singer and guitarist Kuo Hung Tseng, who has this to say about the “My Jinji” video:
“A fallen warrior falls in love with a princess from a faraway galaxy, but he can’t remember anything until a bee shows up.”
Sunset Rollercoaster (photo by Peiyu Shen)
Kuo has also put together a “Subtropical Lovers” Spotify playlist featuring get-you-in-the-mood tunes from his own band, Marvin Gaye, Kate Bush, Sade, Faye Wong, and Mandopop icon Richie Jen.
If you’re looking to extend the V-day feelings — or escape a bit deeper into this particular niche of gauzy indie rock and/or retro visual oversaturation — please check out Sunset Rollercoaster’s smooth as silk 2019 EP VANILLA VILLA:
Then cap all that off with “Airplane Mode,” an equally kitschy sendup of ’80s Hong Kong cinema directed by Taipei artist Teom Chen for jazzy neo-soul singer 9m88. Check back on RADII later this month for a Club Seen feature with Teom.
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