Renowned folk artist Wan Xiaoli, the Hebei singer who became a part of Modern Sky’s “Badhead” label in 2002 and has been a staple of the urban folk scene (alongside Xiao He) since then, returns with his latest masterpiece which refuses categorizations and gives the genre a much needed jolt.
On “Early Summer” (“初夏”), the second track on “The Sun Looks Round” (太阳看起来圆圆的), the singer’s terse folksy melodies have solace and newfound power in the artist’s more indie, downright experimental, sensibilities.
A buoyant musical anthem, which depicts a hot, noisy, lively summer day with joyous glee before fizzling out in a haze of noise, it’s a song that keeps you coming back for more.
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