The Way to Shanghai

I Come to Shanghai have never even been to Shanghai. At least, not to my knowledge. They formed in Oakland and moved to Georgia last year to work on music full-time and earn access to Waffle House 24-7. Georgia is probably the furthest you can possibly get from China.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the dry counties there started enacting laws banning Chinese food. This is, of course, a lie. No matter how xenophobic you are, or how many senators you elect named Saxby, no one can have a problem with wonton soup. This is my explanation for Lil B’s popularity.

Robert Ashley and Sam Frigard comprise the Sino-Southern I Come to Shanghai, who make coruscating pretty pop songs too psychedelic to be branded chillwave, and too shimmering to be considered garage rock. Comparisons bandied about have included Brian Eno, Portishead, The Knife, Can, Kraftwerk, and Cluster. Ashley described their latest song, “In Your Own Way,” as revealing their obvious love of Organized Noize. I hear absolutely nothing Dungeon Family-like in this song, other than the fact that I think it’s stellar. It’s a good sign when inspirations that you think are transparent are buried.

And though it’s rarely salient in their music, the love of hip-hop and willingness to experiment is embedded within Shanghai’s music. Hence, a seven minute song, structurally sound, with loops and synthesizers that roll up smoother than anything Wiz Khalifa ever did.

I don’t know how many people reading this ever heard the Less than Zero SDTK that Rick Rubin did in 1987. It was filled with mostly hard rock like Slayer, 80s pop like The Bangles, and LL and Public Enemy (“Bring the Noise.”) But if you were going to adapt the novel and maintain the same idea of merging contemporary knife-blade rap, rock, and pop, this is what I’d want on it. Just keep Shia LaBeouf out of the casting process.

In Your Own Way by IComeToShanghai

We rely on your support to keep POW alive. Please take a second to donate on Patreon!