TRACE is a queer Vietnamese American songwriter and filmmaker, and Ariel Loh is a trans queer Asian American producer. The pair have just released a cover of "Sài Gòn," a Vietnamese song made famous by Carol Kim (TRACE's mother) fifty years ago. The song is included in NEW WAVE, a documentary about the 1980's New Wave scene in Vietnam. The cover version is a delicate sounding version of dream pop. You can tell it was recorded with love and appreciation of the original. The song is as minimal as you can be while still having a lush and full sound. TRACE and Ariel Loh have made an intensely intimate cover of a song very close to them, and it can be heard in their recording.
TRACE says of her new single:
"The first time I heard 'Sai Gon,' I was captivated—it was my mom singing nearly fifty years ago. I heard it on a vinyl called Saigon Supersounds that Y Vân’s granddaughter actually told me about. I bought it right away. When I asked my mom if she remembered, she laughed, saying, 'That was so long ago, I guess that is me.' Though an anthem of sorts about the heart of Vietnam during a war-stricken time, her recording has this upbeat French pop and New Wave influence that makes it easily my favorite version of the song. Yet, learning she recorded it just before the Fall of Saigon added emotional weight to the music for me.
"When I heard about a documentary called New Wave, I was eager to get involved, as my mom had been a part of that musical movement. And so in perfect time, and along with my friend and collaborator, we recorded and covered 'Sai Gon' for the film. It was nerve-wracking, but one of the greatest honors of my life. My mother’s legacy is powerful, and I’m grateful to share my heart through this song."
You can listen to TRACE and Ariel Loh's version of "Sài Gòn" below. For more on TRACE, check out the artist on Instagram. More about the film NEW WAVE can be found here.
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it. “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
Photo by Cecil Sykes Midnight Peg are an Edmonton, AB based band that are referred to as "madhouse punk." Their latest single, "Thirstland," is a just barely under control two minute burst of punk. You have guitar riffs that will make you think of At the Drive In, and somewhat spoken and yelled vocals which create a feeling of chaos throughout. This is a loud and angry track that is completely in your face. But, unlike most tracks this loud and punk based, "Thirstland" still keeps a sense of art in their music. Midnight Peg feel like a higher class of loud, angry punk rock. This one is great, with just enough of an emo undercurrent to make the song kind of melodic and almost palatable to a mainstream audience. You can listen to "Thirstland" below. Skinning is due out in October on Thousand Island Records. For more on Midnight Peg, check out the artist's website .
