Si Qin Ge Ri Le

Xin Shi Ji
(4.69Mb, ZIP file)

INNER MONGOLIA holds some musical surprises yet - too far out of the way for Beijingers to warrant it much credit, a rumoured rap and hard edged rock scene lies awaiting the discovery of Chinese pop musicologists dissatisfied with the easy mainstream that dominates the market. Si Qin Ge Ri Le is a recent discovery who performs with traditional Mongolian and Xinjiangese vocal chants atop her own slightly aggressive brand of rock. G'rile, as she is affectionately known now in Beijing, is a failed dancer who took up the bass and scored a break with a rock ethnic group. Her songs took off after her band allowed her to record videos when they were gigging near her home town, and their label agreed to release Xin shi ji - New Century - as a single. She now commands a new-found respect in the capital as a fresh blend of traditional and Western styles. Listen for the electrified Er Hu - a traditional two stringed violin - employed for distinctly non-traditional musical lines.