Tag: Gong Gong Gong

Review: Gong Gong Gong – Phantom Rhythm

Beijing’s duo of Gong Gong Gong (Joshua Frank – bass, Tom Ng – guitar and vocals) might have the most aptly titled album of 2019 – Phantom Rhythm. It’s apt because they don’t have a drummer. All the rhythm on their astounding debut album is made by Frank’s thumping, snappy bass and Ng’s manic, sharp guitar.

All of the album’s vocals are in Cantonese, and the intonations and sounds of the language accentuate the intriguing phantom rhythms throughout the record. “The Last Note” starts with jangly guitar chords and up-tuned bass that almost bring to mind chanted mantras atop a Chinese mountain before the song breaks into a fast gallop. “Notes Underground” continues the rapid pace as Ng sings about walking away from a finished relationship without any lasting grudges on either side.

The phantom rhythm of Ng’s guitar is in full effect on “Ride Your Horse,” a song about eschewing modern technology for tradition. “Moonshadows” has some of Frank’s funkiest bass as Ng sings about the ocean, or sex, or maybe both. “Scattered state, breath quickens, unknowable grasping imperfection,” Ng sings (again, in Cantonese) on the post-punk rocker “Inner Reaches.” It’s a sharp track about avoiding the present moment, as is “Gong Gong Gong Blues.” “Wei Wei Wei” is a grunting, down-and-dirty, fuzzy fire burning through your speakers.

The slower “Some Kind of Demon” seems to be about indecision or some sort of malaise that Ng can’t quite define. We’ve all met this demon at one point in our lives. “Night’s Colour (Chongqing)” is a cool instrumental that almost sounds like warped carnival music at first. The album ends with the heavy “Sounds of Love” – a song about love’s complications and expectations. The tune swirls around the reverb of Ng’s vocals with Frank’s charging bass and some of Ng’s wildest, fuzziest guitar riffs.

It’s a wild record, and easily one of the most intriguing of the year. Their sound is like a phantom – something you can feel and experience but not quite grasp.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 Concerts of 2018: #’s 20 – 16

We’re into the top 20! So, without further ado…

#20: Gong Gong Gong at Chicago’s Hideout – A lot of people were curious about Gong Gong Gong and how two dudes from Beijing could create such a weird, interesting sound. It turned out to be one of the wildest post-punk sets I saw all year.

#19: Prettiest Eyes at Levitation France – This trio put on one of the wildest sets of the entire festival. Just when you thought they couldn’t get crazier, they did.

#18: Oktober Lieber at Levitation France – This electro duo was louder and heavier than I expected and a great surprise at the festival.

#17: Shopping at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen – The first show I saw in 2018 was one of the best. Three post-punk Brits playing jumpy, skittering rock and having a great time with everyone.

#16: Ron Gallo at Levitation Austin – Ron Gallo and his mates were the first band we saw at the 2018 Levitation Austin festival, and we couldn’t have asked for a better opener. Rocking, funny, and just not quite giving a damn what you thought, they put on a great set.

The top 15 are coming your way tomorrow!

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Flasher, Public Practice, and Gong Gong Gong – Dec. 4th – The Hideout – Chicago, IL

As soon as I saw Flasher, Public Practice, and Gong Gong Gong were playing at Chicago’s Hideout (a great small venue with an appropriate name, as it is concealed in an industrial area), I knew it was going to be a good show.  All three are creating post-punk rock that’s clever, timely, and powerful.

Gong Gong Gong

Gong Gong Gong opened the show, and you could immediately tell there was a buzz about them in the crowd.  I met one woman who specifically came to see them because she’d read a write-up about them in the Chicago Reader and wanted to hear these two guys from Beijing who didn’t have or need a drummer. They don’t need one because there’s enough percussion between the guitar and bass riffs to support an industrial band.  It was a fascinating set full of songs that sound like they belong in a David Lynch film.  I’m calling it now – Look for Gong Gong Gong to be on the bill for the 2019 Pitchfork Music Festival.

Public Practice

Public Practice came out and gave everyone a lesson on how you own a stage.  They played their entire Distance Is a Mirror EP (one of the best releases of the year, in my opinion) and a couple tracks I hadn’t heard yet.  They left you hungry for more, much more.  I hope this tour gives them plenty of ideas for new tracks.  I was delighted to see them selling WALL records at their table, too.  Everyone needs WALL records.

Flasher

Flasher threw down an energetic set that warmed you up from the chill outside.  The tracks they played off their great debut, Constant Image, were almost double speed.  They weren’t screwing around up there.  It was definitely the most punk of the three post-punk sets.  Unfortunately for my wife and I, we had to leave early during their set due to a long drive home and a predicted storm of freezing rain heading for our route.  As you might’ve guessed from reading this, we made it home safe.

As I figured, this was / is a great lineup for a tour.  Don’t miss it if it comes near you.

Keep your mind open.

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Gong Gong Gong release 7″ single ahead of tour dates with Flasher and Public Practice.

GONG GONG GONG’S DEBUT 7″ FOR WHARF CAT OUT NOW

STREAM “SIREN” AND “SOMETHING’S HAPPENING”

CATCH THEM ON TOUR WITH FLASHER AND PUBLIC PRACTICE
Beijing duo Gong Gong Gong pose an intriguing challenge to listeners. There are no drums in this band, but it is undoubtedly percussive. Singer Tom Ng’s lyrics are in Cantonese, but the urgency of previously shared single “Siren” is plain as day. Their driving, stripped-down transnational blues, tapping into the spirit of Bo Diddley, the Monks, and psychedelic music from West Africa to Southeast Asia, is both foreign and familiar. You can read an interview with them in Alt Citizen.

Last week, their debut single for Wharf Cat was released, featuring the aforementioned “Siren,” and now the b-side, the instrumental “Something’s Happening.”

Additionally, earlier last week, they shared a song off a forthcoming limited-edition (only 100 will be made) tour flexi-disc 7″ split, which also features tour mates Flasher and Public Practice. They’ve also announced a NY date opening up for post-punk legends Bush Tetras in December. Catch them on tour the US, and listen to the new output of this utterly unique and singular band.

LISTEN TO “SIREN” & ” SOMETHING’S HAPPENING”
https://spoti.fi/2BaVvwe

LISTEN TO “DOWN QUANTITY ROAD” OFF TOUR FLEXI
https://bit.ly/2PNLzku

GONG GONG GONG TOUR DATES
Fri. Nov. 30 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Sat. Dec. 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Sun. Dec. 2 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Mon. Dec. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Tue. Dec. 4 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Wed. Dec. 5 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Thu. Dec. 6 – Patterson, NJ @ The Red Wheelbarrow w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Fri. Dec. 7 – Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Sat. Dec. 15 – New York, NY @ The Kitchen w/ Bush Tetras
Tue. Feb. 12 – Brussels, BE @ Rotonde, Botanique w/ Bodega
Thu. Feb. 14 – Bottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms w/ Bodega
Fri. Feb. 15 – Glasgow, UK @ The Art School w/ Bodega
Sat. Feb. 16 – Dublin, IR @ Whelan’s w/ Bodega
Mon. Feb. 18 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla w/ Bodega
Tue. Feb. 19 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club w/ Bodega
Wed. Feb. 20 – London, UK @ Scala w/ Bodega
Sat. Feb. 23 – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere w/ Bodega
Mon. Feb. 25 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown w/ Bodega
Tue. Feb. 26 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet w/ Bodega
Keep your mind open.
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Beijing duo Gong Gong Gong release premiere single – “Siren”

INTRODUCING BEIJING DUO GONG GONG GONG

LISTEN TO DEBUT SINGLE ON WHARF CAT, “SIREN 追逐劇“; CATCH THEM ON TOUR THIS FALL

Beijing’s Gong Gong Gong make driving, stripped-down transnational blues, tapping into the spirit of Bo Diddley, the Monks, and psychedelic music from West Africa to Southeast Asia. “Phantom Rhythm” is the concept at the duo’s core: between Tom Ng’s percussive guitar and Joshua Frank’s melodic, charging bass, an aura of ghostly snare hits emerges over a thumping low-end pulse. Atop this framework, Ng recounts Cantonese tales of absurdity, love and lust with fragmented, wry vision.

On their first US release, “Siren 追逐劇” b/w “ Something’s Happening 突發 “ (out 11/9 on Wharf Cat) Gong Gong Gong brings to life a cinematic chase scene. Shot-by-shot, frame-by-frame, “Siren 追逐劇“ is a story of galloping hooves and screeching tires—a horse and car racing each other through mountains and desert, charging into the city. The flip-side, instrumental “Something’s Happening 突發” is Gong Gong Gong at their most raw: locomotive jangle and fuzz-faced roar. Dust, sweat and engine oil, the landscape rushing by. Gong Gong Gong have dates lined up on both sides of the Atlantic with the likes of Parquet Courts, Bodega and Flasher. A full list of upcoming tour dates is below.

LISTEN TO “SIREN追逐劇“
https://youtu.be/Xtz1OJfgeAM

PRE-ORDER “SIREN” 7″
https://www.wharfcatrecords.com/store/gong-gong-gong-siren

GONG GONG GONG TOUR DATES
Sun. Sept. 23 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox w/ Parquet Courts
Mon. Sept. 24 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial w/ Parquet Courts
Tue. Sept. 25 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom w/ Parquet Courts
Thu. Sept. 27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore w/ Parquet Courts
Fri. Sept. 28 – San Jose, CA @ The Ritz w/ Parquet Courts
Sun. Oct. 7 – Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville w/ Eaters
Fri. Oct. 19 – Queens, NY @ Outpost Artists Resources
Fri. Nov. 30 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Mon. Dec. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Tue. Dec. 4 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Wed. Dec. 5 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Thu. Dec. 6 – Patterson, NJ @ The Red Wheelbarrow w/ Flasher, Public Practice
Tue. Feb. 12 – Brussels, BE @ Rotonde, Botanique w/ Bodega
Thu. Feb. 14 – Bottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms w/ Bodega
Fri. Feb. 15 – Glasgow, UK @ The Art School w/ Bodega
Sat. Feb. 16 – Dublin, IR @ Whelan’s w/ Bodega
Mon. Feb. 18 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla w/ Bodega
Tue. Feb. 19 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club w/ Bodega
Wed. Feb. 20 – London, UK @ Scala w/ Bodega
Sat. Feb. 23 – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere w/ Bodega
Mon. Feb. 25 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown w/ Bodega
Tue. Feb. 26 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet w/ Bodega
Keep your mind open.
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