A thread for HOWIE LEE's sublime, genre-spanning Chinese folk/prog/jazz/Balearic/grime opus 'BIRDY ISLAND'

This album is compelling in its meandering. Maybe once I get more acquainted with the tracks I'll discover a stronger internal logic but honestly, I hope not.

Listening to 2019's Tiān Dì Bù Rén today, it's excellent. It's based around traditional Chinese instrumentation but way more beat-oriented than Birdy Island. It doesn't have quite as much of that blurred quality that makes me wonder if something is played, sampled, or programmed, but it's definitely there.

https://howielee.bandcamp.com/album/ti-n-d-b-r-n

wow this is really cool

Looked up some interviews and confirmed for myself that he does in fact play drums on some of the records, and stringed instruments. And obviously a lot of it is programmed using sample libraries as well, but the blend gives it that special touch.

yeah this is my favorite EOY poll discovery so far

I definitely hear some similarities to Eyvind Kang's more orchestral works (Narrow Garden and Virginal Coordinates in particular)

(xp to UMS)

xp I love The Narrow Garden <3

this is interesting, it reminds me a bit of that Meitei album Kwaidan from a while back: https://meitei.bandcamp.com/album/kwaidan with the caveat that Kwaidan is based on Japanese, not Chinese folk music

i think this is partly a factor of my ignorance but this feels so unique, so distinctive, i don't know if i could even describe it to someone. it's so alive, so inventive....really a knockout.

These guys must be friends? https://anti-general.bandcamp.com/

New EP in Birdy Island mode: https://howielee.bandcamp.com/album/event-fact-and-those-which-are-emphasized

Another new EP of live duets with a drummer: https://howielee.bandcamp.com/album/walking-on-thin-ice

Buddhist club music, I'm in

https://howielee.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-drolma-wesel-ling-monastery

Holy shit yes