Cold Fairyland


Cold Fairyland is a Chinese rock music group based in Shanghai. Their style combines Eastern melodies and rhythms with Western symphonic rock and classical music. The band has two sides; classical and rock, which allows them to play in concert halls as well as in rock clubs. CFL's music has influences from Portishead, Dead Can Dance, Radiohead, early Genesis, Jethro Tull, Wong Faye and Dou Wei, and their genre is best described as progressive rock.
Cold Fairyland was established 2001 by Lin Di and Su Yong. They reworked several songs they had each previously written and made a demo. Unofficially released online, it was soon picked up by an underground record company LStape and released on cassette. This demo became later available as their first CD Flying Over the City. Later the same year drummer Li Jia joined the band, and with a few others who came and went, they had their first show at a bar called NowhereTown. In September 2001 they played a cancer benefit at XinTianDi’s ARK Rock Club in Shanghai; thus began their long relationship with the club, playing most months at least once. They have played in many clubs and festivals across China, including The Beijing MIDI Music Festival, often referred to as the Woodstock of China. CFL began a rotation of guitarists until 2003 settling on Song Jianfeng, a MIDI device engineer who works with Su Yong. Next to join in 2004 was the cellist known as Yao Yao from the Shanghai Opera. Xi Jin'e was added as a keyboard player in summer of 2008, and Seppo M. Lehto replaced Su Yong on bass guitar in August 2008.
The name Cold Fairyland comes from a Chinese translation of one of Haruki Murakami's books favored by Lin Di. The name reflects sometimes dark tones of their music.
Composer/arranger/keyboardist and pipa player Lin Di has been playing pipa since she was 4 years old. Her arrangement skills are bringing out often very surprising elements from the mix of cello/pipa/keyboards/bass/drums and guitar.
Cold Fairyland has released six albums, two in Taiwan and four in China.
Performances include concerts in Europe, Japan and around China including The Beijing MIDI Music Festival 2004, 2006 and 2009.
In 2004, Cold Fairyland contributed to the John Lennon Tribute of Yu Yin Tang Music and performed and recorded the song "Eleanor Rigby".
The band is made out of 3 married couples Lin and Lasry, Zhou and Li, Song and Xi.

Lineup

  • Lin Di 林笛 : pipa, ruan, keyboards, vocals
  • Su Yong 苏勇 : bass, background vocals
  • Seppo M. Lehto : bass,
  • Jeremy Lasry : bass
  • Zhou Sheng'an 周圣安 : cello, background vocals
  • Li Jia 李佳: drums and percussion, background vocals
  • Song Jianfeng 宋建丰: guitars
  • Xi Jin'e 奚近萼 : keyboards

Discography

Studio versions of the songs the way they were played live. Recorded 2009 in Shanghai Synergy Studios.
1:Mirror Theatre 摹仿剧场
2:A-Jia-Li-Ya-Lai 阿加裡亞萊
3:Mosul 摩苏尔
4:Dead Children in Newspapers 死在报纸上的孩子
5:Sick Water
6:The Flood 洪水
7:A Desperate Flower in Your Hand 手心里的绝望花
8:Mountain Song of the High Lands 高地山歌
9:Wake 守护
10:Autumn Sleep 沉睡秋天
11:Black Wings 黑色的翅膀
12:Little Fairy 小仙子
13:Wating for Farewell 等待告别
Mostly acoustic songs with drums and some electric guitar, no keyboards. The music is written in Sonata Form. This CD shows the classical side of Cold Fairyland, and depending on the venue will be performed either in its original form or in heavier electric style.
1:Seeds on the Ground 地上的种子
2:Shadow Play 光影游戏
3:Five Travelers 五人同游
4:Puzzle 缭乱
5:Solemn, Silent Circle 肃静的旋转
6:Moon at the Fortified Pass 关山月
7:Reawakening 苏醒
8:Cloud Riding 腾云驾雾
9:Forest Dance 轮舞
10:Ice Castle 冰封之国
11:Ghost Town Nightmare 荒城梦魇
Seeds on the Ground )AB,
Black Wing

Songs appearing on compilation CDs

  • Eleanor Rigby - John Lennon Tribute - Give Live a Chance - 2004 - China
  • Mirror Theatre - Rock and Roll Music Mag Issue 2006.4 insert CD. Booklet and CD with Zhou Sheng'an on both covers. www.xmusicmag.com - China
  • Little Fairy - Everyday You Live, Another Day I Die...Vol 3 - CD - 2011 - UK
  • Shadow Play - The Rough Guide To The Music Of China - CD - 2012 - UK

DVD and video

  • Cold Fairyland, Finland Tour 2008
  • Collection of bass guitar study sheet music videos:
  • https://www.youtube.com/user/unclezeppy?feature=mhee#p/u/7/m4Rmps9MBcw
  • http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/MPLBpnqUEg0/

Awards