Imperial China
Imperial China is experimental post-punk trio based in Washington, DC. The band has honed its live show into a tight thrash with sample-based experimentation as an equal ingredient to its sound. The trio, made up of Brian Porter (voice, guitar, electronics), Matthew Johnson (bass, guitar) and Patrick Gough (drums) released its first full-length album, Phosphenes, on Sockets in February 2010. In January 2012, the band will release its second full-length album, How We Connect, on the label. Order How We Connect below:
Imperial China
Phosphenes
SCKTS034
$13 + shipping (International orders add $3)
1. Limbs
2. In a House in a Head
3. Revolter
4. Creative License
5. Redux
6. 1ST11LST
7. Edulretni
8. Rookie Cop
9. Bird Calls
10. Ljos
Imperial China's third record, How We Connect, out on Sockets Records, is released on limited-edition white vinyl LP (Jan. 28). Recorded by Devin Ocampo (Medications, Faraquet, Mary Timony Band, Beauty Pill) in the summer of 2011, How We Connect is the culmination of an 8-month hiatus from live shows – a big break for one of DC’s most active live bands – as well as a sharper focus on songwriting. On How We Connect, the band forced itself to rethink its musical process and lyrical themes. The goal: create a cohesive album instead of just a collection of songs.
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Buy Phosphenes below:
Imperial China
Phosphenes
SCKTS011
$12ppd Buy Here (International orders add $3)
Reviews of Phosphenes:
"These days, the indie field is oversaturated with derivative groups trying to resuscitate a bygone era or mirror a sonic fad note for note. Rather than merely exhume the past or copy the present, Imperial China engages alternative music’s storied history as a whole on Phosphenes... The group’s determination to push certain aesthetic boundaries has resulted in a record that’s endearing and complex, aggressive yet skillfully composed." – Washington City Paper, February 2010.
"These three dudes capture the feel and the spirit of the 'DC sound'... but rarely rehash the ideas of their predecessors... Phosphenes is one of the best records we’ve heard this year." -Buddyhead, February 2010.
"Phosphenes is one of those rare albums that melds instruments and styles into a concoction that defies easy categorization and still succeeds at what it attempts. From the driving, headlong rush of 'Mortal Wombat' to the contemplative soundscape of 'Go Where Airplanes Go,' Imperial China continually hits the mark on this debut album... It’s a rare treat to come across an album so full of surprises that flow organically from one to the next." - Delusions of Adequacy, February 2010.
