SIU2 - a band from hong kong - Progressive Rock Music Forum

SIU2 is a renowned fusion band from Hong Kong showcasing both Chinese and Western musical instruments including Sheng, Sanxian, Zheng, Piano, Bass Guitar and Drumset. It is one-of-a-kind and its sound not something one can hear anywhere else.

SIU2 has performed in the Hong Kong Arts Festival and in the same year the New Visions Arts Festival. SIU2 has also toured Europe and in Asia, including Bordeaux Music Festival, concert at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Taipei-Hong Kong Week, Shenzhen Hong Kong Creative Arts Festival, Beishan International World Music Festival in Zhuhai and Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia the same year, all to critical acclaims.

From the Flowermusic website (link in o.p.) and also on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siu2hk:

"Brought into existence by Ng Cheuk-Yin, SIU2 is a trend-setting musical organism born from the soil of Hong Kong. The Sheng, a musical instrument with its roots from ancient China no less than 3 millennia ago, leads the organism’s process of sound-weaving together with the Sanxian, Zheng, piano, bass guitar and drums. The resulting musical tapestry flows seamlessly through the East and West, past and present while melting down borders between genres. SiU2 is a sonic portrayal of the juxtaposition of disparate cultural elements in Hong Kong. It is one-of-a-kind and its sound not something one can hear anywhere else.

Ever since debuting in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival Sheng It Up and booming outdoor for the first time same year in the New Visions Arts Festival, SIU2 has been striving to let its music reach different audiences through a wide range of different spaces, experimenting with possibilities. The envelop was pushed one step further when it began touring around the city in 2011 with its SIU2 My Encyclopedia of Music, a series of educational performances and workshops, in collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. As recognition of its unique brand of sound grew, SIU2 began to be invited to stages and platforms outside its hometown, for instances in April 2011 to the Beishan International World Music Festival in China , and in May same year representing China to the Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia, all to critical acclaims.

Two albums have been released by SIU2 so far. Debut album Open Door recorded the complete set as performed in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival Sheng It Up, with G.O.D. chiming in with its creative magic in the album cover design. EP Kon．Fusion houses all new repertoire as performed in the concert Sheng It Up2. Music from this second album was chosen by CNNGo.com to be used in its episode featuring Hong Kong, that very city from which SIU2 had its DNA."

Current line-up:

Ng Cheuk-yin / composer, sheng, keyboard
Peter Fan / piano
Cass Lam / sanxian
Jason Lau / zheng
Siuming Chan / bass guitar
Lawrence Tsui / drums

SIU2, a locally bred band, presents a novel experience of Hong Kong music with their original and unique style. Their works challenge people’s inherent concept about Chinese music and create a new genre fusing modern and traditional, Chinese and western elements. SIU2 has been creating innovative new music that, with its eclectic fusion of colourful and sometimes bizarre city soundscapes, produces the band’s unique and unprecedented style that flows effortlessly through jazz, rock, classical Western and Chinese themes. SIU2 is a post-modern harmony that epitomizes Hong Kong.

Through invitation by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, SIU2 performed their original music in a concert titled Sheng It Up in 2008 and published their first album 'Open Door' in the same year.

SIU2: 'Open Door':

1. Slow Motion (4:17)
2. Open Door (7:07)
3. Full Moon (5:59)
4. Flower Party (5:15)
5. Lazy Days (4:43)
6. Old restaurant (4:00)
7. Old Drama (5:25)
8. Grand Grand Victory (5:22)
9. Double (6:13)
10. Window (10:00)

Total Time 58:21

Cat. #FMCL0001 (released 2009-03-31)

Ng Cheuk-yin / composition, sheng, Chinese percussion, keyboard),

Cass Lam / sanxian

Jason Lau / zheng

Peter Fan / piano

Chan Hok Ming / bass

Lawrence Tsui / drums

Ever since its acclaimed debut performance in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Hong Kong based band SIU2 has been creating and refining new gems of innovative music with its unprecedented unique style. SIU2's debut album "Open Door", released in 2008, received unanimous accolades from both music critics and fans. In April 2010, SIU2 staged two concerts of Sheng It Up 2 and released the new album 'KonFusion', a ground-breaking melting pot of musical genres from the East and West which serves as a sonic portrayal of the juxtaposition of disparate cultural elements in Hong Kong.

SIU2: Kon.Fusion:

1. Moonlight Prelude (2:12)
2. Moonlight Sonata (4:37)
3. Konfusion (5:08)
4. Ballet Dancer (4:29)
5. Goodbye Waltz (5:54)

Total Time 22:20

Cat. # FMCL0002 (released 2010-03-29)

Ng Cheuk-yin / sheng and organ
Jason Lau / zheng
Cass Lam / sanxian
Peter Fan / piano
Liang Chun-wai / bass
Melchior Sarreal / drums

SIU2 released their third album 'Sonic Traveler' with “world travel” as the theme. Apart from its ongoing dynamic fusion of East/West and modern/traditional, this album features musical elements from various cultures around the globe, weaving into a repertoire of refreshing exuberance while bringing the audience onto a sonic journey through space and time.

The album houses a total of 7 brand new compositions, including the most ear-catching “Sonic Traveler” – Indian style Progressive Rock, “Lights Up” – its inspirations drawn from the sounds of the languages of South-East Asia, “Haunted House” – a fierce track heavy in Japanese flavor, “Gondola” – undeniably Chinese in character yet conjuring images of Venetian gondolas, “Icy Night” and “Drifting Ice” – inspired by the ice blocks floating from Russia to the northern parts of Japan, and “Gliding” – with roots in Irish folk music, full of rhythmic jokes and illusions.

Different musical elements from around the world infuse innovative exuberance and dazzling colors into SIU2's new album, expanding the frontiers of the band's musical vocabularies even further as it communicates with the world via its music.

'Sonic Traveler' was released on April 15, 2013 on iTunes, Hong Kong Records and Flowermusic.hk. A launch party was held at the Backstage Live Restaurant in Hong Kong the day before, where the band shared their their ideas about the album and performed it in full.

SIU2: Sonic Traveler:

1. Sonic Traveler (6:03)
2. Lights Up (7:01)
3. Haunted House (4:52)
4. Gondola (4:37)
5. Icy Night (Piano Solo) (1:20)
6. Drifting Ice (6:01)
7. Gliding (5:53)

Released: 15 April 2013

Ng Cheuk-yin / composer, sheng, keyboard
Peter Fan / piano
Cass Lam / sanxian
Jason Lau / zheng
Siuming Chan / bass guitar
Lawrence Tsui / drums

The four tubes from the o.p. embedded:

And a few more:

'Slow Motion':

'Lazy Days':

'Full Moon':

'Grand Grand Victory':

'Moonlight Sonata':

'KonFusion':

'Flower Party':

And there we are...! - Lots more on YouTube too!

Edit: SIU2 are on the NEW(!!) myspace: https://myspace.com/siu2shengitup, but the seven samples on there are only short snippets, and anything else that might have been useful concerning the band on the old myspace is doubtless now lost for ever.

Edited by yam yam - June 16 2013 at 23:56

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rico2010 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: April 03 2010 Status: Offline Points: 13	Topic: SIU2 - a band from hong kong Posted: June 16 2013 at 10:02
	http://www.flowermusic.hk/siu2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gNWO9umCUUY http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=odREMaXY5xA trailer to their new album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UubvfJQ2jkY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QyWYJQ-Odc and their official channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/siu2music What do you think?

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 5820	Posted: June 16 2013 at 12:00
	SIU2 is a renowned fusion band from Hong Kong showcasing both Chinese and Western musical instruments including Sheng, Sanxian, Zheng, Piano, Bass Guitar and Drumset. It is one-of-a-kind and its sound not something one can hear anywhere else. SIU2 has performed in the Hong Kong Arts Festival and in the same year the New Visions Arts Festival. SIU2 has also toured Europe and in Asia, including Bordeaux Music Festival, concert at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Taipei-Hong Kong Week, Shenzhen Hong Kong Creative Arts Festival, Beishan International World Music Festival in Zhuhai and Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia the same year, all to critical acclaims. From the Flowermusic website (link in o.p.) and also on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siu2hk: "Brought into existence by Ng Cheuk-Yin, SIU2 is a trend-setting musical organism born from the soil of Hong Kong. The Sheng, a musical instrument with its roots from ancient China no less than 3 millennia ago, leads the organism’s process of sound-weaving together with the Sanxian, Zheng, piano, bass guitar and drums. The resulting musical tapestry flows seamlessly through the East and West, past and present while melting down borders between genres. SiU2 is a sonic portrayal of the juxtaposition of disparate cultural elements in Hong Kong. It is one-of-a-kind and its sound not something one can hear anywhere else. Ever since debuting in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival Sheng It Up and booming outdoor for the first time same year in the New Visions Arts Festival, SIU2 has been striving to let its music reach different audiences through a wide range of different spaces, experimenting with possibilities. The envelop was pushed one step further when it began touring around the city in 2011 with its SIU2 My Encyclopedia of Music, a series of educational performances and workshops, in collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. As recognition of its unique brand of sound grew, SIU2 began to be invited to stages and platforms outside its hometown, for instances in April 2011 to the Beishan International World Music Festival in China , and in May same year representing China to the Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia, all to critical acclaims. Two albums have been released by SIU2 so far. Debut album Open Door recorded the complete set as performed in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival Sheng It Up, with G.O.D. chiming in with its creative magic in the album cover design. EP Kon．Fusion houses all new repertoire as performed in the concert Sheng It Up2. Music from this second album was chosen by CNNGo.com to be used in its episode featuring Hong Kong, that very city from which SIU2 had its DNA." Current line-up: Ng Cheuk-yin / composer, sheng, keyboard Peter Fan / piano Cass Lam / sanxian Jason Lau / zheng Siuming Chan / bass guitar Lawrence Tsui / drums SIU2, a locally bred band, presents a novel experience of Hong Kong music with their original and unique style. Their works challenge people’s inherent concept about Chinese music and create a new genre fusing modern and traditional, Chinese and western elements. SIU2 has been creating innovative new music that, with its eclectic fusion of colourful and sometimes bizarre city soundscapes, produces the band’s unique and unprecedented style that flows effortlessly through jazz, rock, classical Western and Chinese themes. SIU2 is a post-modern harmony that epitomizes Hong Kong. Through invitation by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, SIU2 performed their original music in a concert titled Sheng It Up in 2008 and published their first album 'Open Door' in the same year. SIU2: 'Open Door': 1. Slow Motion (4:17) 2. Open Door (7:07) 3. Full Moon (5:59) 4. Flower Party (5:15) 5. Lazy Days (4:43) 6. Old restaurant (4:00) 7. Old Drama (5:25) 8. Grand Grand Victory (5:22) 9. Double (6:13) 10. Window (10:00) Total Time 58:21 Cat. #FMCL0001 (released 2009-03-31) Ng Cheuk-yin / composition, sheng, Chinese percussion, keyboard), Cass Lam / sanxian Jason Lau / zheng Peter Fan / piano Chan Hok Ming / bass Lawrence Tsui / drums Ever since its acclaimed debut performance in the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Hong Kong based band SIU2 has been creating and refining new gems of innovative music with its unprecedented unique style. SIU2's debut album "Open Door", released in 2008, received unanimous accolades from both music critics and fans. In April 2010, SIU2 staged two concerts of Sheng It Up 2 and released the new album 'KonFusion', a ground-breaking melting pot of musical genres from the East and West which serves as a sonic portrayal of the juxtaposition of disparate cultural elements in Hong Kong. SIU2: Kon.Fusion: 1. Moonlight Prelude (2:12) 2. Moonlight Sonata (4:37) 3. Konfusion (5:08) 4. Ballet Dancer (4:29) 5. Goodbye Waltz (5:54) Total Time 22:20 Cat. # FMCL0002 (released 2010-03-29) Ng Cheuk-yin / sheng and organ Jason Lau / zheng Cass Lam / sanxian Peter Fan / piano Liang Chun-wai / bass Melchior Sarreal / drums SIU2 released their third album 'Sonic Traveler' with “world travel” as the theme. Apart from its ongoing dynamic fusion of East/West and modern/traditional, this album features musical elements from various cultures around the globe, weaving into a repertoire of refreshing exuberance while bringing the audience onto a sonic journey through space and time. The album houses a total of 7 brand new compositions, including the most ear-catching “Sonic Traveler” – Indian style Progressive Rock, “Lights Up” – its inspirations drawn from the sounds of the languages of South-East Asia, “Haunted House” – a fierce track heavy in Japanese flavor, “Gondola” – undeniably Chinese in character yet conjuring images of Venetian gondolas, “Icy Night” and “Drifting Ice” – inspired by the ice blocks floating from Russia to the northern parts of Japan, and “Gliding” – with roots in Irish folk music, full of rhythmic jokes and illusions. Different musical elements from around the world infuse innovative exuberance and dazzling colors into SIU2's new album, expanding the frontiers of the band's musical vocabularies even further as it communicates with the world via its music. 'Sonic Traveler' was released on April 15, 2013 on iTunes, Hong Kong Records and Flowermusic.hk. A launch party was held at the Backstage Live Restaurant in Hong Kong the day before, where the band shared their their ideas about the album and performed it in full. SIU2: Sonic Traveler: 1. Sonic Traveler (6:03) 2. Lights Up (7:01) 3. Haunted House (4:52) 4. Gondola (4:37) 5. Icy Night (Piano Solo) (1:20) 6. Drifting Ice (6:01) 7. Gliding (5:53) Released: 15 April 2013 Ng Cheuk-yin / composer, sheng, keyboard Peter Fan / piano Cass Lam / sanxian Jason Lau / zheng Siuming Chan / bass guitar Lawrence Tsui / drums The four tubes from the o.p. embedded: And a few more: 'Slow Motion': 'Lazy Days': 'Full Moon': 'Grand Grand Victory': 'Moonlight Sonata': 'KonFusion': 'Flower Party': And there we are...! - Lots more on YouTube too! Edit: SIU2 are on the NEW(!!) myspace: https://myspace.com/siu2shengitup, but the seven samples on there are only short snippets, and anything else that might have been useful concerning the band on the old myspace is doubtless now lost for ever. Edited by yam yam - June 16 2013 at 23:56

seventhsojourn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 11 2009 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 4006	Posted: June 17 2013 at 14:34
	Innovative fusion of jazz and Art Music with traditional Chinese instruments. Melodic, upbeat and not so complex or improvisatory, so I think that rules out avant-prog. I reckon the only place they might fit would be JR/F... but I don't really know if I can see them on PA.

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 5820	Posted: June 17 2013 at 16:47
	Yeah, I wasn't entirely sure about this one...It seemed 'different' enough to warrant some time spending on an investigation, and whilst they may not be about to get a nice gilt-brass commemorative plaque set into the progarchives wall of fame, at least I managed to spray plenty of graffiti around on it for them!!!