White Noise Records & Some Updates...

Have not been able to contribute much to this blog this year much due to my writing commitments: a chapter in the upcoming National Library Board commissioned book on the history of music in Singapore, as usual I have contributed something on the history of English popular music locally which I have traced the first stirrings since the 1950s till today; just sent in my chapter on the history of Noise As Music to an upcoming publication on Noise/Musics (most likely published by Duke University Press). I have also written an album review of X'Ho's new album which will be published in the near future at the website of local semi-academic e-journal, s/pores. So the first 4 months of the year have been writing, researching, listening etc. Tedious at times but overall, enjoyable and enriching.

But to continue from my previous blog on Bimbo Tower, the premier record store based in Paris, I just returned from Hong Kong and yes, as per custom, I visited the main experimental/alternative record store, White Noise (wanted to go to the other one, Monitor Records but due to lack of time and losing our way, we gave up but next time most probably!). A small hole-in-the-wall outlet which stocks many excellent releases from both the local (HK/Taiwan/China) as well as others from the usual (USA/UK/Germany/etc), it was quite a trip for me; picked up a couple of Whitehouse re-issue LPs and a Dead C re-issue vinyl plus a few other CDs, it dawned on me that we are seeing the disappearing of more and more indie record stores the world over. Even White Noise has to move locations many times since its inception due, partly to financial and changing music consumption patterns. But hey guys there will always be people out there who would put in that extra effort to seek out the more challenging and mind/ear provoking music and culture.