Tian Qiyi have released the video for title-track of their debut album Red Mist which is out now via Pagoda Arts.
Mesmerising as the music itself, the video perfectly captures Tian Qiyi’s eclectic mix of electric jazz, hip-hop, contemporary sounds and traditional Chinese instrumentation with psychedelic undertones.
John Tian Qi Wardle says, “I’m absolutely over the moon about the music video Jon Klein and me and my brother shot at Wimbledon Library in London. The end result is beyond our wildest expectations, and we’re both ecstatic with how our collaboration brought our vision to life in such a unique and special location. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey, and we’re excited to have shared it with the world.”
Charlie Tian Yi Wardle adds, “It was great working with Jon Klein, he’s very experienced and everything went smoothly, and considering the location, Jon really thought about the great spots within the library for interesting shots, we think the video came out great, and really managed to capture what our music stands for.
About the song itself, Charlie says, “Lyrically it was inspired by films like apocalypse now and come and see. We’d composed the song already; the atmosphere of the music gave me the same emotion as those films did, so it felt organic.
“I didn’t want to write a single, structured storyline in the lyrics, or create a motif/theme of sorts with the vocal melody. We try to treat vocals as an instrument in our music as opposed to its presence being the core of the song like a lot of music nowadays.”
Following an incredible performance at the Lancaster Music Festival at the weekend, Tian Qiyi have more live shows planned in November supporting Jah Wobble on his UK tour with more to come.
LIVE IN NOVEMBER
4th – The Forge (Camden, London)
23rd – Blues Kitchen (Manchester)
Comprising of brothers John Tian Qi Wardle and Charlie Tian Yi Wardle, Red Mist sees the pair explore a myriad of sound through their innovative and unique blend of traditional Chinese music with contemporary sounds. “Me and my brother focus on music made in the moment. We like to keep it spontaneous.” says Charlie.
The album also features their father, Jah Wobble, a prominent bass player who has collaborated with various musicians such as Brian Eno, Bill Laswell and Bjork. Discussing Tian Qiyi and the new album Wobble says, “As my career inexorably comes to its close, my sons are taking the mantle.”
Born and raised in England, John and Charlie were exposed to a diverse range of musical styles and traditions from a young age. Their mother, Zilan Liao, is a skilled and globally respected guzheng player from Guangzhou China, who has performed at various events and concerts across the world and has influenced their musical style immensely and led to the formation Tian Qiyi and share their innovative musical style with the world.
Red Mist also features the captivating track ‘Incantation’, which fuses electric Jazz with traditional Chinese instrumentation. You can watch the video here. You can also see a short performance of ‘Incantation’ on the band’s Tik Tok page, which has had a huge response with over 938,500 views.
Watch the clip here
Red Mist showcases their creative approach to music-making and ability to seamlessly blend genre and sound through a range of tracks that are both energetic and danceable and haunting and reflective, demonstrating their versatility as musicians.
The new album also serves a testament to their talent and hard work and their commitment to preserving the essence of traditional Chinese music while infusing it with modern, contemporary and experimental sounds that push boundaries and make it exciting.