Catch the New Generation of Chinese Indie Rockers With Limbo and Autistic Radio

With sounds that find solace in the retro-outfitted sounds of yesteryear, humid slabs of distortion and propulsive melodies that burn brightly with adolescent vitality, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the wistful and angst-ridden tunes of Changsha’s Autistic Radio and Guangzhou’s Limbo (pictured above).  

The two young bands are part of a wave of indie acts budding across the country, connected by the cohesive tissue of DIY ethos and an affinity for emo rock, city pop, and shoegaze tunes that crackle with youthful energy and the euphoric feeling of butterflies in your stomach. A rallying call for the disenchanted youth, the band’s caught the attention of 17-year-old Chengdu singer-songwriter Fei Long (AKA Jia Jia), of milkymoon, a leading figure of the new generation of Chinese rockers.

“Although their flaws are obvious now, they’re very serious about their music, and I believe in two to three years they will evolve a lot," Fei Long says of the two bands that she has taken under her wing as manager, helping them put together a mini-tour through China (with a break in Shanghai in the middle for none other than exams). Their closing set takes place at DDC tonight, Nov 26.

I shot the two bands some questions about their origins and how their respective cities shaped their music.

Limbo

How has Guangzhou’s music scene grown in the past couple years? What’s special about the community down there? 
Limbo: Guangzhou used to be called "the core city" – almost every guitar player wanted to play "core" (hardcore, metalcore, emocore) music. Problem is, it all sounds the same. But in the past couple of years, more and more indie bands have come up, like yourboyfriendssucks, A Fishy Tale, Pocari Sweet, and Very Natural. At the same time, the indie music label Qiii Snacks Records has played a very important part in Guangzhou’s music scene, helping give exposure to these great bands and put together various interesting shows – no stage, acoustic, some even put together in local restaurants. They’ve really have helped grow Guangzhou’s music scene and have allowed it to spread its wings.

How did the band get started? 
Limbo: We started in the college music community. In the beginning, we were your typical stupid school band, covering songs all the time. As our guitarist, Xinzai, played in some indie band, we realized the most important part in forming a band was the key ability to be able to express yourself. So we began to write songs our own songs and tried to form a ‘limbo’ world.

What mood do you look to strike with your music?
Limbo: Limbo is homophonic to the female character Ayanami Rei (Chinese name Eva) in the Japanese comic/anime franchise Neon Genesis Evangelio. She represents so much more than what’s on the page and in many ways represents what goes on in our minds: anxiety, emptiness, hope, the truth of being alive. Nothing fantastical, it's just how our minds work in normal life. We want to express the uncertainty in our youth. Emotions give us motivation and lead us to find the thing we are looking for in life.

Autistic Radio

How did you all end up in Changsha? What’s something we may not know about the city? 
Autistic Radio: Our guitarist lives in Changsha and the rest of us happen to go to school here. Essentially, we formed the band by chance. Surprisingly, there are a number of obscure indie bands in the city, such as Half Candy (formerly Psycho Candy) and Transparent Carrier, and for some reason, there were only a few bands who want to play outside Changsha but they're great.

Is it difficult staying together in a city like Changsha?
Autistic Radio: Every band has difficulties so it's not our place to complain – whether it be transportation, expensive rehearsals, trying to find the time to come together, it's a long list but at the end of the day we're happy to make it work.

Tell me about Small Animal Records? What’s the goal behind it? 
Autistic Radio: Small Animal Records is a label that has bought together a bunch of us similar interests. People trust each other and are good friends, so of course we’re going to put out some boring releases together.

Catch Limbo and Autistic Radio back-to-back at DDC this Tuesday, Nov 26 at 9pm.

Maybe you'd prefer Glass Animals instead?

Images courtesy of the bands