Asthmatic Kitty Records: Fol Chen

FOL CHEN'S TETRAFOL, AS SEEN BY HUMAN EYES

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A new video featuring the Tetrafol, directed by Chris Wilcha, and a brand new hot mp3 below. Enjoy the continued Fol Chen hotness, and order the Tetrfol by clicking here.

ANNOUNCING THE TETRAFOL, FROM FOL CHEN

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Fol Chen has joined forces with Monome and Machine Project to bring you the Tetrafol. Some of you already instinctually know what this is, because you've been waiting for it all your life.

Others may need an explanation, so here goes: The Tetrafol is a hand-held tangible electronic sound toy. Circuits enclosed by a wooden tetrahedron detect orientation and motion-gestures to modify the playback of a collection of Fol Chen's micro-compositions. Users can explore sound through objectual physical manipulation. The battery-powered device has its own internal speaker but can additionally be hooked up to a headphone or amplifier for broader consumption and recording purposes.

The circuit and firmware are based on open-source hardware and is itself published as open-source, allowing anyone interested to learn about its deepest inner-workings.

There are only 100 of these devices. You can buy one for $110 right now by clicking here. For now.

To get information about Fol Chen in your email, go here.

Hear a song created with these microcompositions below:

Fol Chen, "So Good" by asthmatickitty

GET YOUR OWN FOL CHEN SONG AT WALKER ART CENTER ON THURSDAY

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Samuel Bing and Sinosa Loa of Fol Chen have invented something amazing they call The Fol Chen Verbal Algorithm Composer-Free Song Generator. They'll debut this wonderful new process at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis on Thursday from 2pm to 6pm.

Fill out a survey about the artwork of your choice at the Walker, bring it toBing and Loa and you'll receive a custom song on CD mere minutes later. You must see to believe. More info here.

FOL CHEN: DAVID BOWIE, SUFJAN. OTHER NAMES TOO. GOBSMACKED.

Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

So, Fol Chen. Desert dwellers. Underculture purveyors. Marketers of glitz and glam. Let's talk.

You know David Bowie right? Fol Chen remixed his lovely 1975 "Golden Years," the leading track to his supposedly cocaine-fueled (and non-supposedly brilliant) Station to Station. And Fol Chen does it some serious justice, for KCRW's DJ Eric J. Lawrence's remix-travaganza celebrating the re-master of the album. Hear it (and other great takes on the song) here. This remix is so captivating, British music Simon Reynolds said it "gobsmacked" him. Sorry about that Simon.

You may also have heard of Sufjan Stevens. Yes, Fol Chen covered him too, pulling from the pop-rich lyrically-morose "I Walked." Leading vocals on the cut is Simone White, and when Fol Chen+Simone White/Sufjan Stevens, you get a ballad hit optimus-transformed pop hit. We dare you to listen and forget about it. We triple-dare. Try, on Pitchfork, here.

Finally, Fol Chen wrapped up a score on a new documentary from filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, entitled Beauty CULTure. It just premiered, and will be up at the Annenberg Space for Photography for a few months. Similarly, Greenfield's "Fashion Show" mixes filmed footage with still photography of runway shows, all set to Fol Chen's "The Longer You Wait." Watch it here.

Did we say Fol Chen has been in the desert? Strange things happen there.

FOL CHEN: THEY TOUR

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

We think we know Fol Chen. We receive communique from them. We may have seen them live before, taken an impromptu fuzzy photograph with our cellphones. We've heard Samuel Bing in an interview. Maybe we've listened to a new song. We may even have caught them on tour in their mid/west tour as they pass through cities like Minneapolis, Salt Lake, Vancouver, Portland, and others. We think we know Fol Chen.

But we do not.

FOL CHEN PERFORM AND RECORD IN RUSSIA

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

On Wednesday November 24th, Fol Chen will be performing at Klub Kitaiyskii Lyotchik Jao Da (9 Pestela Street) in St. Petersburg, Russia. The performance will be two long-form, constructivist-inspired reworking of selected tracks from their two studio albums.The following day Fol Chen will be holding a very special workshop/recording session at Kitaiyskii Lyotchik Jao Da (Ul. Pestela, 7). Members of the group Samuel Bing and Sinosa Loa are inviting local musicians (and curious non-musicians) to join them in recording a new Fol Chen song, which will then be released on their next album, or as a single.

FOL CHEN из Лос-Анджелеса проведет

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Во Четверг, 25 ноября, музыкальная группа Fol Chen из Лос-Анджелеса проведет необычный мастер-класс с записью композиции в клубе «Китайский летчик Джао Да», Ул. Пестеля, 7, Санкт-Петербург.

Члены группы Самюэль Бинг и Синоса Лоа приглашают петербургских музыкантов (а также и тех, кто просто интересуется) присоединиться к ним для записи новой песни Fol Chen, которая затем войдет в следующий альбом либо будет выпущена в виде сингла. Этот совместный музыкальный проект дает возможность увидеть изнутри, как одна из наиболее захватывающих новых групп из США создает свою музыку.

Музыкальное мастерство не обязательно, но музыкантам предлагается принести свои собственные инструменты. Просьба сообщить об участии по адресу folchenworkshop@gmail.com или просто прийти в 13.00 25 декабря.

FOL CHEN: VISCERATED

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

FOL CHEN TOURS AND GETS REMIXED

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

First the words were good, they helped us understand. But then the sounds would double like holograms. Now, they have quadrupled, twisted and contorted into unreadable hieroglyphics by four technicians of sound. They sing of deep space disco at the hands of Teen Daze. They fall back to earth and "Primary 1" picks through the debris like a surgeon with grisly precision and melody. FUR has stolen them from the lab and the cutting slab and taken them out knight riding, nestled inthe backseat and oozing into the leather. Finally, this memory of a song is scooped up by Hard Mix and broadcast as an agitprop slow-dance. The air smells of chemicals. Take a listen and download, for free, here.

Do not be alarmed, if you need an orientation to the new paradigm you can see Fol Chen live as they head out first with !!! and then The Apples in stereo. See tour dates here.

FOL CHEN NEWLY VISUALIZED

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

-SCREETCH----jsdf7f893hf@*Y$---SSSEEEEE-----CB74v34
&&&&&&WORDS@@@GRAM

1] VIDEO. (cf: above.)
2] RESIDENC-----111111---Y. ECHO. MULTIPLE TOUR......DATES. LOCATION: LA CA. 08/16/2010...08/23/2010....08/30/2010.
3] EASTERN COASTAL REGION ********** UNITED ********* STATEnnnn. FURTHER ELABORATION == BEGIN PROCEDURE TO GRAVITATIONAL PRESSURE here.

AURAL PLEASURE DISTRIBUTION BBBB!B!BBBBBB PROCEEDING ---KKKRAAN-

"The Holograms" Part II: The New December (Download)

FOL CHEN RELEASES NEW ALBUM, TOURS W. COAST, PARTIES

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Part II: The New December, the second album from Fol Chen, is out right now. East Bay Express wrote that the band has "fashioned a clever, ambitious album with a wee touch of majesty." NPR's All Music Considered featured them today in their summer music preview here.

You can of course buy the album now, in CD form for $10 by clicking here, and in vinyl format for $15 here. But should there be any reluctance in you purchase, there are also myriad ways to experience Fol Chen. One is by watching Fol Chen's most recent music video viewable here, filmed among volcanic ash and directed by Chris Wilcha.

And if you live on the left or right coast, you can see them play. They'll be in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver. They will then head out to the east coast in early August. Details for those dates are here. Fol Chen is an elusive beast, so we recommend catching them while you can.

IN RUINS, VISUALIZED BY CHRIS WILCHA

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Fol Chen sent director Chris Wilcha (This American Life Showtime series / The Target Shoots First) to Iceland to film amidst the volcanic dust from the erupting Eyjafjallajökull for their new music video, "In Ruins."

Two Icelandic youth wander through an apocalyptic wasteland wearing masks just to breathe and see amidst the dust.

PREORDER THE NEW FOL CHEN, IMPRESS FRIENDS WITH RINGTONES

Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Photo by tylerdurden1

"In Ruins," the first MP3 single from Fol Chen's second full-length has garnered many kind things across the internet. One reputable blog called it "unexpectedly joyous."

The whole of Part II: The New December drops June 22nd, but you can preorder it now and be ready for the return of John Shade.

Now, we must admit that we do make use of cellular telephoning. What's more is that we also enjoy the cultural and social identification that emits from that cellphone speaker with each ring.

To that end, we asked the Subcommittee of Audio Protocol to take Part II and turn it into the most usable, functional, poptastic cellphone ringtones you've ever heard. We created two kinds: the audible grade, for when you wish to truly hear your phone ring, and the meeting grade for the more discreet settings.

You can preorder the CD for $10+S&H by clicking here, or the LP for $15+S&H by clicking here.

Download the ringtones here:

iPhone

MP3

Samples:
"Holograms (Audible Grade)" (Download)
"In Ruins (Meeting Grade)" (Download)

FOL CHEN RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM [FREE MP3]

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

By Juliana Paciulli

Last time, on Fol Chen: John Shade made his fortune. Bing & Co built a pyramid, the pyramid, and took the battle to Shade. It all fell apart. The world? In ashes.

And now, on Fol Chen: John Shade is dead. A mysterious letter. The end of one end, and a beginning on another one. A new chance at a new world. But not one given so easily, things are not so clear as they once were. Long live John Shade.

For the uninitiated, this is Fol Chen. After receiving praise from NPR for their debut, releasing a remix album, recording a BBC Session and a music video with the Laker Girls, Fol Chen has created Part II: The New December. The album shores up the group's slippery identity further still. This is Fol Chen's most focused work - as consistent as it is consuming, as enjoyable as it is unusual. For more info, visit their website here.

On Saturday, Fol Chen begin their tour with Liars, starting in LA and ending in Seattle, before heading off to Europe. Info here.

"In Ruins" (Download)

FOL CHEN: NEW VIDEO, NEW TOUR, LOTS OF NEW

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Fol Chen had an incredible 2009, with rave reviews of their debut album, Part One: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made. They shot a video with the Laker girls. They covered Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" for Spin's Purplish Rain compilation and Pink Floyd's "In The Flesh" for MOJO's tribute to The Wall. They hit the airwaves with live performances on the BBC and KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic and were featured on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. They were remixed by many (including Liars) and did remixes of many others (including Junior Vasquez).

So, how do you top that for the new year and the new decade? Well, you start with a tour with the Liars, start work on a new LP, and in your free time work with Emmy award winning director Chris Wilcha to provide folks on a high concept music video shot in India to tide everyone over til the next record. Click here for tourdates.