Actually, Records, a Chicago-based record label, has a solid roster of Asian American artists on the rise in the indie music scene.
We are giving away 5 of their latest albums to one lucky reader!
Here’s what you’ll get:
EE – “Capital Plans”
“A sense of departure pervades Capital Plans, the third album by San Francisco—based band Ee. The Asian-American group, composed of founding member, guitarist, and vocalist Tobin Mori; lead guitarist and keyboardist Sooyoung Park (who was also a member of Seam); bassist Che Chou; and drummer Peter Nguyen create heartening tunes that will resonate with the mildly malcontent or those just looking for a slow-burning song. From the title track’s musings that ‘this town is just too small for one more day,’ to ‘Steven’s Song’ (about a friend who died of cancer), and closing track ‘1 Horse Town/Anelace,’ the seven-song release brings together a sense of weariness about current surroundings and situations, yet fearing the unknowns of change.'” –Angie Vo
Kite Operations – “Festival”
“…rock that’ll shock your testicles like Kabangers. Heavy on guitar feedback madness, straight up noise, and dadaist vocals, the Asian American sound is now officially over. The [New York] band killed it brilliantly…” – Giant Robot
XYZR_KX – “Inanomie OP.221”
”More passion than purity, more brash than composed, the sound explodes out of the speakers.” – Grooves Magazine
“Quietly earnest folk-pop, narcoleptic electronica… jaw-dropping power.” – Splendid Magazine
The Gold Medalists – “The City Lights Us On Fire”
“Peter Nguyen is one of the finest drummers I know and now a fine songwriter. His first collections of songs only whisper at the enormous potential to come.” – Yoshi Nakamoto (The Aislers Set)
Jienan Yuan – “We Saw Everything”
“This is a soundtrack for the days when you’re on the bus heading to your shitty job, feeling alone and broken, wondering why the sky is perpetually grey this week, and realizing that there is something depressingly beautiful about the urban decay and decline.” – Lucid Forge
To enter, just comment on this post by 5 p.m. PST on Friday, March 26. Link to the giveaway on Twitter for an extra entry. (Leave another comment with your Twitter status.) Two entries max per person. Please make sure to leave a valid email address.
Actually, Records presents its first label showcase on the West Coast, “A Minotaur Mini-Tour,” featuring Asian American indie bands/artists Kite Operations, XYZR_KX, The Gold Medalists and Jack Tung. This unique show will stop at Giant Robot in Los Angeles and Retox Lounge in San Francisco on Friday, March 26, and will end the next day at Los Angeles’ Silver Factory Studios. For details, music videos and photos, check out www.actuallyrecords.com.
