Dirty Beaches
Dirty Beaches | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Alex Hungtai (Dirty Beaches) performing in Paris, on February 19, 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alex Zhang Hungtai |
| Born | 4 September 1980 Taipei, Taiwan |
| Origin | Montreal, Quebec |
| Genres | Lo-fi, rockabilly, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2005 - current |
Alex Zhang Hungtai (b. September 4, 1980, Taipei), known by his stage name Dirty Beaches, is a Taiwanese-born Canadian lo-fi musician based in Montreal, Quebec.
Dirty Beaches released a number of EPs and instrumental-focused albums on cassette-only labels, before releasing the full-length Badlands in March 2011.[1] Badlands was subsequently nominated as a long listed nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.[2] Dirty Beaches has also released singles including "True Blue"/"Sweet 17," "Lord Knows Best," and "Lone Runner," as well as videos, many of them directed by Zhang himself.
Dirty Beaches is a one-man band project, sometimes employing sampling, inspired by Zhang's longtime love of hip hop. In addition to his own years moving between countries and on the road touring, films are one of Zhang's influences, particularly those by Wong Kar-wai. Zhang said Wong's movies are "usually about the passage of time, and how in relation it distorts your relationship with everything else in life. The central Dirty Beaches character is a product of those experiences. Of someone traveling long distances in search of something, in exile, misplaced, with no home to return to."[3]
Discography
Studio albums
- Old Blood (2007, Fixture Records)
- Horror (2008, Fixture Records)
- Night City (2010, Night People)
- Badlands (2011, Zoo Music)
- TBA (2012/13)
Singles, EPs & compilations
- Seaside EP (2008, Fixture Records)
- Bird EP (2009, Fixture Records)
- Dirty Beaches cassette (2009, Night People)
- B Side EP (2010, La Station Radar)
- Golden Desert Sun single (2010, Italian Beach Babes)
- True Blue/Sweet 17 single (2010, Zoo Music)
- Solid State Gold cassette (2010, Rose Mansion Analog)
- No Fun single (2011, Italian Beach Babes)
- Lone Runner single (2011, Suicide Squeeze Records)
- Dune Walker single (2012, Slowboy Records)
- Tarlabaşı single (2012, BRONSON Produzioni)
- Elizabeth's Theme single (2012, Kingfisher Bluez)
Collaborations
- Decadent (2010, Campaign for Infinity) split album with Generic Shit, Hobo Cubes & Street Gnar
- Split (2010, Campaign for Infinity) split album with Omon Ra II
- The Singer (2011, Soft Power Records) split single with Conor Prendergast
- U.S. Girls/Dirty Beaches (2011, Sibling Sex) split EP
- Double Feature (2011, Night People) split album with Ela Orleans
- Xiu Xiu/Dirty Beaches (2012, Bella Union) split single for Record Store Day
- Statement (2012, Clan Destine Records) split album with Slim Twig, Ela Orleans & U.S. Girls
Soundtracks
- Practical ESP (2011) directed by Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty
- The Hippo (2012) directed by J. Asher Lynch
- Waterpark (2012) directed by Evan Prosofsky
Music videos
- "West Coast Bird" directed by Alex Zhang Hungtai
- "Shangri-La" directed by Alex Zhang Hungtai
- "True Blue" directed by Alex Calder
- "Lord Knows Best" directed by Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty
- "Speedway King" directed by Alex Zhang Hungtai
- "Lone Runner" directed by Kevin Luna
- "White Sand" directed by Tsien-Tsien Zhang, cinematography by Christopher Doyle
References
- ^ "Sadness suits Dirty Beaches". The Georgia Straight, May 25, 2011.
- ^ "2011 Polaris Music Prize Long List announced". aux.tv, June 16, 2011.
- ^ "Dirty Beaches Interview". nothingbadmag.com. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
External links
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