Rubey Hu (Guest rec from Jake Newby)
Today we have a guest recommendation from Jake Newby, whose newsletter
covers music from China.Today we’re listening to the new album from Rubey Hu, a musician based in Beijing who explores ambient and alternative electronic sounds, primarily as part of the band Hualun, who first formed in Wuhan over two decades ago and are one of China’s finest acts.
In Different Rooms, released on Slovakian label Music That Shapes, is Hu’s second solo record and is largely based around piano and synths. The album emerged from Hu’s “Night Piano Project,” a series of improvised sessions that he undertook during the Covid pandemic in China and clips of which he would share into a group chat with his bandmates. The official intro to the resulting record advises nocturnal listening, and playing it after dark certainly heightens the experience. But ultimately, Hu’s delicate, immersive compositions are perfect for all times of day – especially if you’re in need of some mellow instrumental accompaniment. As Hu says himself, “[I] hope it can bring some peaceful atmosphere – whether it’s a sense of Presence or an illusion beyond daily trivialities.”
At certain points, Hu is joined on the LP by his bandmates Ding Mao and MK Zhu, and in places it can feel like a stripped back Hualun album. In particular, there are echoes of his work at the piano in Hualun’s Scene series of instrumental pieces, and vice versa. For a great follow-up listen, Hualun’s celebrated soundtrack to Chinese cinema cult classic An Elephant Sitting Still still sounds fantastic five years on, and was recently given a vinyl re-release by Beijing label bié Records.
In Different Rooms - Rubey Hu (35m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
An Elephant Sitting Still - Hualun (35m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
Have a great Wednesday.
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