Friends: Frequency Asia

Over the years, my tastes have expanded beyond Beijing, finding exciting new sounds from every little nook and cranny China has to offer. And while that’s a well that’ll never dry, I’ve been finding myself exposed and more importantly, intrigued by what looms in the rest of Asia soundwise. Hence, why I’m been all over Frequency Asia. The podcast, run by Luke Hansford, a former Beijing resident (and founder of Jingweir) now residing in Singapore, collects a variety of fresh tunes from around Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Australia, China, etc.) and presents them on the hour plus long sessions. And more recently, he has been approaching it with a more journalistic eye, including interviews and little snapshots of history including his most recent – a ‘History of Yaogun’, which gives a startlingly (though all too brief) satisfying chorological oral history of the yaogun scene. Which is something I’m been dying to get as since reading Red Rock: The Long, Strange March of Chinese Rock & Roll – music history without the music just really doesn’t cut it. So thanks Frequency Asia! You’ve earned a slot on my ‘Friends’ – which is like the highest honor that could ever be bestowed upon you. You made it. Bump it over here.