The first Chinese band to make a break in the West, Re-TROS released their album last month to a rapturous media reception.
Now they return to Europe in support of the iconic Depeche Mode. The European arena tour is accompanied with standalone Re-TROS shows, as the band bring their experimental hybrid of post-punk, electronica and art-rock to the UK this month (November).
Their new album and first UK release “Before The Applause”, crosses the bridge from art school punk into pumping techno clubland and back again, over nine mature tracks.
Heroes of the Chinese underground rock scene, Beijing-based “Rebuilding the Rights of Statues” aka “Re-TROS” released their genre-spanning post punk inspired album on Modern Sky Entertainment.
They are the first Chinese band to release an album in the west, and they extol the virtues of such classic independent icons as Joy Division and Bauhaus, while taking inspiration from contemporaries Battles, Liars and TV On The Radio.
The exact birthdate of the much blogged about ‘China rock explosion’ that took place in the noughties is subject to debate. A spark of promising indie-types buzzing around the toilet circuits of Beijing, has caught flame and flickered to varying degrees of intensity since.
Out of this scene, Beijing-based Re-TROS, were always the most likely to shove the boundaries forward. 10 years later, they are more than ready to go global with a record that’s more eclectic and transcendent than anything the scene has produced to date.
They grew to become one of Asia’s leading alternative bands, just as Modern Sky became China’s biggest independent label, festival organiser and now global music company.
In 2017, Liu Min, Hua Dong and Huang Jin have spurned their post-punk past and created “Before the Applause”. Produced by Hector Castillo (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Bjork, Phillip Glass), their new album fizzles with experimental vigour, electronica and ambitious scale, while still maintaining the irreplaceable Re-TROS grasp of infectious melody.
They have been hailed by the global music media as something very special:
Re-defines marching music. Extraordinary.” – **** Q MAGAZINE
“This is a remarkable album, and easily good enough to send them global.” – THE QUIETUS
“An extraordinary listen… a shattering record.” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT
“Re-TROS are one of China’s foremost rock voices” – CLASH MAGAZINE
“One of the most exciting new bands in Asia.” – ROCKFEEDBACK
“It doesn’t take long for Re-TROS to blow away doubt… resistance is futile” – LOUD & QUIET
“Using insistence and repetition to mesmeric effect. Riveting.” – PROG MAGAZINE
Re-TROS Europe Tour Dates 2017Nov 15, Ireland, Dublin, 3 Arena *Nov 16, UK, Glasgow, Attic at The Garage (headline)Nov 17, UK, Manchester, Arena *Nov 19, UK, Arena, Birmingham *Nov 20, UK, Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (headline)Nov 22, UK, London, O2 Arena *
* with DEPECHE MODE – Tickets available from http://www.depechemode.com/tour
