Mindy Meng Wang

A journey with Mindy - chilled, meditative, mellow. Something that you can relax and kick back to. Unroll your yoga matt and let the stress roll off you - enjoy the stillness.

Music in Exile presents ~ a journey with Mindy Meng Wang 王萌

Thrilled to be joined by Chinese/Australian avant-garde composer @mindymengwang 王萌, and her Melbourne-based contemporary @timshiel in celebration of their debut collaborative EP 'Nervous Energy' 一触即发.

Blending traditional Chinese music, Breakbeat, Minimal House & Pop, Mindy Meng Wang and Tim Shiel deliver this evocative mix underpinning the sounds of 'Nervous Energy'一触即发.

Stream/Support 'Nervous Energy' 一触即发 here: https://mindymengwang.bandcamp.com/album/nervous-energy

For more information & tracklist, head here: https://fbiradio.com/945fm/programs/midday-mix/2021-03-19/

The Midday Mix - Tim Shiel & Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 (March '21)

Cocoon is the first part of a contemporary music trilogy titled: I Am The Silk Road. Like the Silk Road in ancient times, this project is a space where cultures meet and intermingle, trading goods and ideas. 

Mindy Meng Wang (China/Australia) is a guzheng virtuoso and part of a significant movement of Chinese musicians redefining their musical traditions while at the same time reinvigorating them. Wang is originally from Lanzhou in north western China and is now resident in inner Melbourne. Australian Art Orchestra, with the support of Australia Council and Creative Victoria, commissioned Wang to compose a new 35min work for the 2017 OzAsia Festival that will eventually form part of a larger concert-length suite. 

Cocoon tracks Wang’s journey from her home in Lanzhou to the UK where she was based for many years before coming to live in Australia in 2014. It also traces her journey from her musical beginnings in the traditions of the guzheng through to her involvement with the avant-garde scene in London. 

Wang composed Cocoon for a chamber formation of AAO musicians that includes violin, contra bass, electronics, shakuhachi, bass trombone, saxophone and percussion, to create delicate textures that express both a yearning for home and the restless urge to travel and discover the new

Quotes from reviews 

‘Excitingly noisy, energetic and almost erratic.’
THE ADVERTISER

‘Riveting from its very first moment.’
THE ADVERTISER

‘Cocoon is wonderfully coherent and engaging musically.’
REALTIME

‘Embodies an East-West musical duality.’
REALTIME

‘Soaring, multidirectional composition for guzheng.’
ADELAIDE REVIEW

‘Cocoon courses elegantly through genres.’
ADELAIDE REVIEW

‘The guzheng … is a thrilling foundation for this sophisticated work.’
ADELAIDE REVIEW

‘Audiences are left in awe of Wang’s versatility, fluidity and command.’ 
PERIL

‘Cocoon is a daring and audacious piece.’
PERIL

‘An absolute musical delight.’
CLOTHESLINE

COCOON.MP3

Desk recording , Cocoon and Metamorphoses, live @ China Shanghai International Arts Festival

20181023 desk recording

The War Of Art - Ascending Misty Mountain

Tracklist: 
1. Mindy + Carolyn (Fia Fiell)
2. The Long Goodnight
3. Needle Space
4. Cocoon

This takes place on land stolen from the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung People of the Kulin Nation. MIE acknowledges the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung People as the rightful owners of the land we live on, and pays respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded.

http://www.aao.com.au/cocoon
https://www.instagram.com/mindy_mengwang/

Graphics by Rick Milovanovic.

Presented by babyxxan.

Episode 9 : Mindy Meng Wang

Preorder Vinyl  ~ https://bit.ly/MindyMengWang

Mindy Meng Wang is a versatile Chinese/Australian composer and guzheng player. Born and trained in China, she studied western musicology in the UK before migrating to Australia. 
 
Her work explores the fertile space between traditional and contemporary practices, and is part of a significant movement of Chinese musicians redefining and reinvigorating their musical tradition. 
 
Mindy's vision is to create a strong voice for young female composers of Chinese heritage around the world, and to contribute to a deeper and reciprocal musical connection between Australia and China.

'An Improvisation Through Time & Space' EP is out Friday, October 2.

https://musicinexile.com.au
hi@musicinexile.com.au

Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 - Dimensions Of A Strange Land  异境

Preorder Vinyl  ~ https://bit.ly/MindyMengWang

Mindy Meng Wang is a versatile Chinese/Australian composer and guzheng player. Born and trained in China, she studied western musicology in the UK before migrating to Australia. 
 
Her work explores the fertile space between traditional and contemporary practices, and is part of a significant movement of Chinese musicians redefining and reinvigorating their musical tradition. 
 
Mindy's vision is to create a strong voice for young female composers of Chinese heritage around the world, and to contribute to a deeper and reciprocal musical connection between Australia and China.

Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 - Thoughts In The Rain  落雨思

Brooding reverberations emerge at the outset and are interposed by pricks and twangs from the Guzheng’s strings, thrumming like the planes of a psychedelic realm which reach out into the soundscape - mapping sonic cartography. Dimensions of a Strange Land and indeed the whole record are masters of constructing an ambience, its relative sparseness draws attention to its fundamental essence which is both conscientious and divulging, like being whispered a precious secret.

Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 - Dimensions Of A Strange Land  异境 (Finding Figaro Premiere)

DC Promo Tracks #666: "Thoughts in the Rain" by Mindy Meng Wang is part of the release "An Improvisation Through Space and Time" on Music in Exile @musicinexileau  

Buy Now: https://musicinexile.com.au/mindy-meng-wang-announces-debut-ep?utm_source=Media&utm_medium=PR&utm_campaign=Mindy_EP1 

Subscribe to our weekly email: http://dreamchimney.com/subscribe

DC Promo Tracks #666: Mindy Meng Wang "Thoughts in the Rain"

Yi Li River-伊犁河畔 Yi Li He Pan

Folk Dance of Yi Tribes --彝族舞曲Yi Zu Wu Qv

San Bao Buddha -- 三宝佛San Bao Fo

Listen in to a series of conversations led by beloved Triple R broadcasters Lauren Taylor and Simon Winkler in conversation with our Walsh Street Music artists.

In part three of the series Lauren Taylor and Simon Winkler talk to 
versatile Chinese/Australian Composer and Guzheng Performing Artist. Mindy Meng Wang. 

Born and classically trained in China, Mindy studied western musicology in the UK and then migrated to Australia.

She is a pioneer to bring Guzheng into many western genres such as experimental, Jazz, western classical, Electronic and improvisation. She has collaborated with many high-profile artists and frequently performed in many significant festivals, shows and venues in Australia, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and France.

Her work explores the fertile space between traditional and contemporary practices, is an important part of a significant movement of Chinese musicians redefining and reinvigorating their musical tradition on the global stages.

Her long term vision is to create a strong voice for young female composers/artist of Chinese heritage, and more importantly, create a deeper and reciprocal musical connection between Australia and China.
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MPavilion & the Robin Boyd Foundation bring you a six part series of live performances from the iconic Walsh Street house. Directed by Freya Esders and shot by award-winning cinematographer Edward Goldner, the series will place an eclectic roster of Melbourne’s favourite musicians in all corners of this architectural masterpiece.

The Walsh Street Music Program features the soulful multi-instrumentalist and proud Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Torres Strait Islander woman Kee’ahn, Chinese/Australian composer and guzheng virtuoso Mindy Meng Wang, the beautifully melancholic and ethereal Sweet Whirl, Sudanese born Melbourne bred rapper BabyT, the lo-fi soundscapes of unground cult lovers Sleeper & Snake, and finally Melbourne prog pop eccentric Gregor.

Walsh St house is the dwelling that Australian architectural giant Robin Boyd designed as his own family home. As an exemplar of modernist Australian architecture that continues to influence architectural thinking, the house has been the subject of extensive media coverage both nationally and internationally. The house remains unchanged from the time it was first designed and occupied by the Boyd Family in 1959, furnished with pieces designed by Boyd’s associates Grant Featherston, Clement Meadmore and others and then photographed by Mark Strizic. Now home of the Robin Boyd Foundation, the heritage icon provides a unique insight into Melbourne’s design leaders of the 50s and 60s.

Artist Interviews - Walsh Street Music Program - Mindy Meng Wang

Pre-order here ~ http://bit.ly/timmindysc

After the release of their debut collaborative single,“Sleeping Tiger On The Bund 蓄势待发”, Mindy Meng Wang 王萌, and Tim Shiel return today with their latest single & video, “Hidden Qi 隐.气”. Released via not-for-profit label, Music In Exile, the track brings audiences one step closer to their newly announced collaborative EP, Nervous Energy 一触即发, due March 12.

Introduced with a calming drone melody, “Hidden Qi 隐.气” opens up a dreamlike soundscape, fuelled by looped guzheng tones, steady beats and psychedelic guitar licks. Premiered via Gorilla vs. Bear the video is similarly hypnotising, finding the perfect meeting point between traditional and contemporary to showcase the harmonious existence of these disparate contexts and influences. Directed by Athina Wilson and produced by Yang Chen (Eye To Eye), the visual showcases Mindy’s traditional performance, further developing the ongoing narrative of how the East and West can intersect or collide with one another.

Mindy on the release: “‘Hidden Qi 隐.气’ is filled with powerful, firm but flexible energy. Like the inner strength - Qi of a Kung Fu master in the legend, the Qi hidden flows in his body is free but controlled, like the qualities of mountains, rocks, stars, and rivers...The whole song takes people to a dreamland surrounded by clouds and mist, as if you are floating in the clouds and you saw a martial arts master practising from afar. He jumps so light and moves so fast and sometimes disappears in the trees, the energy wave of his Qi shocked petals off the flower...flying in the sky...”.

Tim on the release: “‘Hidden Qi 隐.气’ introduces a sound that I love that feels unique to the guzheng - which is the sound of a slowly evolving drone, that shifts and squeaks with a beautifully organic quality.  I was led by Mindy's technique for this song perhaps most of all, trying to supplement her sound with a simple boom-bap inspired beat and psychedelic guitar flourishes.  Midway through the song, it shifts into a cinematic space recalling the 70s film soundtracks of John Barry, Janko Nilovic or even Morricone”.

“Hidden Qi 隐.气” is the second taster of the collaborators’ forthcoming EP, Nervous Energy一触即发, arriving on March 12. Just last month, the world was introduced to the pairing through their debut single together, “Sleeping Tiger On The Bund 蓄势待发”. Premiered on Double J, the single saw nationwide acclaim across the airwaves, with additions from FBi, RTR, 2SER and SYN, as well as online love from NME, Deafen County and a premiere from Purple Sneakers.

 Over the course of 2020, the duo worked ceaselessly on developing new material in spite of ever changing COVID restrictions. First recorded by Mindy on her 21-string traditional guzheng and then shared with Tim via the internet to be reworked, the result is something neither had imagined possible. What developed was a collection of tracks that oscillate from breakbeat to minimal house influences and laid-back dub and pop sounds, underpinned throughout by an acoustic instrument almost two metres long and thousands of years old.

Mindy Meng Wang and Tim Shiel 'Nervous Energy 一触即发' out March 12th, 2021 via Music in Exile and Above Board (UK/EU).
https://musicinexile.com.au

Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 x Tim Shiel - Hidden Qi 隐.气

Order Vinyl ~ https://musicinexile.com.au/shop 

Early in 2020, the music community was forced to close its doors, not only to the outside world, but to each other. Creative partnerships were lost, performances cancelled, studio time scrapped. 

In response to these limitations, as is often the case, innovation and cooperation blossomed. Melbourne’s Music in Exile label, a not-for-profit aimed at profiling musicians from refugee and migrant backgrounds that give the city its world-class reputation in the arts, kick started the new Building Bridges series, aimed at keeping individuals connected and inspired during lockdown.

Nervous Energy, a collaborative effort between Chinese/Australian avant-garde composer Mindy Meng Wang 王萌, and  her Melbourne-based contemporary Tim Shiel, is the first product of this series. Over the course of the year, as COVID restrictions ebbed and flowed, Tim & Mindy worked ceaselessly on developing new material, first recorded by Mindy on her 21-string traditional guzheng, and then shared with Tim via the internet to be reworked into something neither had imagined possible. 

The result is four compositions that oscillate from breakbeat to minimal house influences and laid-back dub and pop sounds, underpinned throughout by an acoustic instrument almost two metres long and thousands of years old. It is a hymn to the world Mindy inhabits, a place where tradition is forced to adapt with changing values and different cultures. 

Throughout the record, Mindy’s strong association with visual imagery and traditional Chinese storytelling prevails, conjuring images of “eastern power and beauty” and “a dreamland surrounded by clouds and mist, as if you are floating in the cloud.”

As Mindy says, “Tim’s music made my blood surge immediately, and I couldn’t help holding my breath; my muscles tightened, like a wild leopard about to jump out from the dark, or balancing on a string up high in the sky. I used the guzheng to create a meditation of tranquility in the chaos, to try calm my emotions and fast heartbeat. The gentle melody brings rational control and pulls everything back to a perfect balance.“
 
Sleeping Tiger on the Bund 蓄势待发, the duo’s first single, references the juxtaposition of Shanghai’s Bund district, where the city’s ultra-modern and ceaseless pace of life meets protected heritage sites. It symbolised a constant struggle in Mindy’s creative process; inspiration drawn from ancient traditions trying to find context in a modern world. The Tiger references the Western world’s view of China, as a sleeping threat which may at any moment awaken. As Mindy again says, “There is a special and complex feeling of power and strength in this song. It is clean and thorough, strong yet soft; decisive and delicate. It is full of a dynamic and urgent sense of time.”

Sleeping Tiger on the Bund 蓄势待发 is the first single from Nervous Energy, a collaborative EP from Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang 王萌. The EP will be available digitally + on limited edition vinyl through Music in Exile / Above Board (UK) on March 12th, 2021.

https://musicinexile.com.au
https://aboveboarddist.co.uk/

Mindy Meng Wang

MadamMadnesS