“[Chad Valley] has a brilliant way with lush, melancholic electronica…[writing] soaring paeans to youthful hopes and dreams.” – The Guardian
After winter, the sounds of spring.
In April 2018, we’re delighted to welcome back Chad Valley to China: the perfect soundtrack to melting frost and tangerine skies.
The acclaimed UK songwriter writes swoony solo electro-pop, with a pulsing, danceable core. He’ll be conjuring warm dreamscapes at two special showsBeijing at Dada, Sunday April 29; Shanghai at Yuyintang, Monday April 30.Cuddle up for twointimate evenings filled with visions of sunny shores and brighter tomorrows.
Chad Valley is the solo electro-pop project of Oxford’s Hugo Manuel, formerly of the band Jonquil. His music is triumphant in sound and rich in construct – often dreamy, introspective and R&B-inspired. His music is80s pop meets 60s folk,with both given a shimmery modern electronic makeover.
A product of Oxford’s prolific creative community, Chad Valley has a catalogue that spans three studio releases– 2010’s self-titled debut EP which was a bedroom exploration in swirling synths and sunburnt melodies. 2011’s Equatorial Ultravox expanded that recipe, giving his downtempo productions a decidedly more pop-leaning twist. ‘Shell Suite’, off that album, was used in the movie Warm Bodies, leading to a string of key touring slots supporting the likes of Active Child, Chvrches, Erasure, Friendly Fires and Passion Pit. He toured China that year for Split Works’ fifth anniversary celebrations.
In 2013, Chad Valley released Young Hunger, his first proper album and one that saw him further embrace his pop ambitions. The material was a modern collage of 80’s freestyle jams and 90’s radio singles, featuring an impressive list of collaborators including El Perro Del Mar, Glasser, TEED and Twin Shadow. Two years later, he released his sophomore effort Entirely New Blue, a slow-burning exploration of identity and the places that comfort us with nostalgia. In support of the record, Chad Valley toured the world, winning over fans with his stellar voice and impassioned performances.
In 2018, Chad is releasing his third album: Imaginary Music. We’ve only been treated to snippets so far, but if those (and his recent live shows) are any indication, we’re in for another luxuriant serving of nostalgia-drenched reverie.
Split Works Presents: Chad Valley
BEIJING
Date/Time: April 29, Sunday, 10pm
Venue: DADA
Address: B-101, 206 GulouDongDajie (鼓楼东大街206号B栋101室)
Tickets + Support: TBC
▽▼.▽▼. ▽▼. ▽▼. ▽▼.▽▼.▽▼. ▽▼. ▽▼. ▽▼.
SHANGHAI
Date/Time: April 30, Monday, 9pm
Venue: Yuyintang 育音堂
Address: 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yan’an Xi Lu (凯旋路851号, 近延安西路口)
Tickets: 80RMB
https://yoopay.cn/event/ChadValleySH2018
Tickets once sold cannot be refunded!
Support: TBC
Links
Split Works official website：www.spli-t.com
Chad Valley Official Website: www.chadvalley.net
Chad Valley live on KEXP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydkNoYXO_VI
About Split Works:
Split Works has been rocking in the free (ish) world since 2006. Working with inspirational artists from across the globe, the good people at Split Works HQ have been a key contributor to the continued rise of China’s music scene.Split Works has launched five music festivals and promoted over 400 tours to 30 Chinese cities, always striving to stay true to a familiar refrain: the music has to be special, every single time. From Godspeed You! Black Emperor to Sonic Youth, from Thee Oh Sees to Mac Demarco and Cloud Nothings, from Black Rabbit to JUE and Wooozy to Concrete & Grass. We love music, we love China and we love you.