The Rough Guide to the Music of China

Although the liner notes trumpet the massive changes in China since the last Rough Guide CD was compiled ten years ago, there’s little change in the presentation of its music in this new edition. Last time, none of China’s rich rural traditions made it into the selection. The same is true here, notwithstanding the cover image of a wispy-bearded peasant with a flute. So let’s accept that this is a disc of Chinese world music – whatever that means – and move on. It’s challenging enough to produce a coherent selection from a country with such an aesthetic divide between the professional folk traditions and the world of rock and pop. So we skip from 1930s Shanghai to a dodgy dub fusion effort from Jah Wobble, from a slick erhu solo to the fabulous girl punk band Hang on the Box. There are some fun tracks: both the underground Beijing band Secondhand Rose and Cold Fairyland with its trip-hop pipa music show that Chinese musicians are working hard at bridging divides. Contemporary takes on China’s minority traditions are represented here by Shanren, Urna, and Uyghur group Panjirm with their explorations of jazz and Middle Eastern styles. The bonus CD from the Mongolian band Hanggai is another good reason to buy this CD.