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7"
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SHAM 005EP
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This special limited edition 7" EP showcases the fantastic and underrated synthesizer sounds of Hong Kong's Oscar Young. These four instrumental cuts from 1976 see the prolific musician and producer modernizing Chinese folk melodies and rocketing them into the space-age. Solid synth leads are backed with fuzz and wah-wah guitars, tight funk bass lines and haunting organs -- integrating shades of surf, soul, rock, and disco into his unique sound. Multifaceted rhythms feature punchy electronic beats peppered with hand-drums and other natural percussion, while synths of all shapes and textures pan throughout the spacious mixes. Young's adventurous and unpredictable technique and production never missed a beat -- unless it was intended. Oscar Young -- known also as Yang Road Fire, or Yang Daohuo -- worked prolifically in the East Asian rock and pop music scene between the 1960s and 1980s. He first gained acclaim as an arranger, working with singers such as Teresa Teng, Xiao-Jun Huang and go-go bands like the Apollo, as well as creating scores for movies. His classical background allowed him to create a perfect hybrid of traditional Chinese music and new electronic sounds and instruments of the time. Young released multiple volumes of albums: his own series spans over 30 volumes, while his collaborations with the Apollo Band yielded an equal amount. His music can be compared to the likes of Martin Denny or Dick Hyman's synthesizer-infused exotica, or the high-profile Moog pioneers, Perry & Kingsley. The tracks featured on this EP are from his booming period of electronic experimentation during the early-to-mid 1970s, and represent a mere sliver of his giant catalog and immeasurable talent -- a short-but-sweet introduction to the wondrous synthesizer world of Oscar Young.
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