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

May 23rd, 2011 , by


 

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

January 15th, 2011 , by

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

November 21st, 2010 , by

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

November 18th, 2010 , by

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 [email protected] или просто прийти в 13.00 25 декабря.

 

FOL CHEN: VISCERATED

August 19th, 2010 , by

FOL CHEN TOURS AND GETS REMIXED

August 2nd, 2010 , by

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

July 23rd, 2010 , by

-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

July 7th, 2010 , by

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

June 21st, 2010 , by

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

May 19th, 2010 , by

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:

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