Hey, here’s a new thing to pile on top of your Spotify queue: the East Asian Studies department of New York University has just launched a biweekly playlist of exclusively East Asian music.
EAS is excited to introduce a bi-weekly curated playlist of all East-Asian music. Whether you’re a fanatic listener of K-POP or curious explorer of future beats and forgotten gems, we’ve got sonic vibes for all listeners and occasions. ?? #newplaylist pic.twitter.com/GdPgXXJIsp
— NYU East Asian Studies (@easnyu) February 12, 2019
Their first entry, released today, is called Lunar ’19 and features “the best and most festive Korean and Chinese music” in celebration of the just-begun Year of the Pig. A quick spin through the song list shows two tracks apiece from RADII regulars Higher Brothers and Howie Lee (though none of either artist’s specifically Lunar New Year-themed jams), a deep cut from Do Hits affiliate ZHI16, and some high-gloss pop tunes from Teresa Teng and Faye Wong. Stream that here.
Meanwhile, over at Crack magazine, Howie Lee has just put out his own vaguely Spring Festival-aligned mix of traditional Chinese music. He tells Crack:
This set includes some of my favourite Chinese hits… Including the best traditional drum players 朱啸林 (Zhu Xiao-Lin), 阎学敏 (Yim Hok-Man) and 吴顺喜 (Wu Shunxi), folk music from different regions of China and some westernised classical Chinese orchestra.
Find that one here, and click on for RADII’s own Pig Year playlists:
Here’s Your Essential Playlist of Chinese New Year BangersFrom old-school Gala belters to zeitgeist-straddling trap ads, here’s how to soundtrack the Lunar New Year in styleArticle Jan 29, 2019
Yin: SWINE FLEW (Year of the Boar Mix)90 minutes of unrelenting, eardrum banging Pig Year PreviewArticle Feb 08, 2019
Cover photo: Mù Chè Shān Chū by Howie Lee