Diamonds In The Mine: Alex Zhang Hungtai’s Album “Knave Of Hearts”(2016)
「誰もがロックスターの人生を望んでいるとは限らない」 – Alex Zhang Hungtai
Last year Alex Zhang Hungtai(Formerly Dirty Beaches) released “Knave Of Hearts” collecting home recordings of some thoughtful and eloquent solo piano meditations composed between 2012 and 2015.
“Knave Of Hearts” marked a new point of departure for Alex, whose earlier music explorations, as Dirty Beaches, were much more in the vein of remaking and further updating some rebellious lo-fi rock and roll in a new way like the late Alan Vega, or, even sounding like vaguely sinister soundtracks to a dark, imaginary movie.
These new instrumental songs from “Knave Of Hearts” can be said to be much closer in style to the piano-based minimalist songs of the Modern Surrealist composer and pianist Eric Satie, or even those songs of the reflective and mystical Estonian Neo-Classical composer Arvo Part.
At the time of his album release Alex tweeted that “not everyone wants the rock star dream” and that he only wanted to share his music with others as an artist but not take part in blindly doing what is expected of him enslaved like a cog in the machine that is invested in mass-producing new trends, idols and rock stars for mass consumption.
With “Knave Of Hearts” he not only takes the road less taken, but also proves that one can be free to do things one’s own way and still make relevant music independently and not just reach people but also continue to move people with the brilliance of his music.
Perhaps, his musical exodus will inspire others to do what is true to their hearts also, much in the same way that the original music of The Velvet Underground or The Stooges had inspired so many people to start a band and make their own music in the past.
“If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.” — Charles Bukowski
The cassette tape version of the album “Knave Of Hearts” via Ascetic House is already sold-out. But, the album “Knave Of Hearts,” with cover art by Elizabeth Peyton, is still available to stream and purchase via Alex’s Bandcamp webpage.
Whiskey session with Alex @ Lady Jane 2013 (Photos by Chica Orito)
