Home-Grown, East-Asian Audio Adventures you almost never knew about
SURREAL. SUBVERSIVE. TRANSFORMATIVE // DEBUT ALBUM // “Welcome to The Mollusc Dimension” (2019)
The Mollusc Dimension (he/him) is convinced he's the only queer East-Asian in Essex. A misfit, female-socialised British Chinese kid in the 1980s, he trained in the tantalising code-switch art of Classical piano, scooped medals and wowed listeners. His parents moved here from British-colonised Hong Kong in the seventies and they didn't want him to be an artist, queer or trans-masculine. But he kept falling out of his closets. [Read on below…]
Hear it HERE!
Bandcamp (Stream Full Album here!)
What people said about “Welcome to The Mollusc Dimension”
“An invitation and a guided tour to abstract and surrealist landscapes with an expressionist commentary. You’ll stumble upon echoes of Erik Satie and Kurt Weil, playing with goth influences and smooth prog, dancing with self-deprecating humour. In the depth of his sound, you’ll find many of the references and influences he absorbed through his life, and, of course, the melodrama of life as seen through his sea-tinted lenses.” [Read more…]
“Takes you to different worlds.”
“You had us all singing to the chorus and we thought the video had great visuals and we loved the characters!”
“Walking Through My Mind” reminds me of "Lightspeed Champion - Midnight Surprise", it's the way it progresses with new melody progression. “Didn't Want” reminds me of something from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, I really like the "Boo" in the middle. Lol. I really like "Gotta Go" - reminds me of something from Zelda.”
“Hello, just wanted to say your album is the best damn thing everrrrrrr. It’s so trippy and magical and amazing and is making me so happy. Thank you so much ❤”
ABOUT
Enter this magical portal for transformative puzzle-lovers of all ages, and you'll be swept headlong into a series of alternative worlds brimming with surprises and hidden meanings. Some people will think it's a collection of tracks by 14 completely different artists! Lightspeed Champion-like harmonic trips in “Walking Through My Mind”, Rocky Horror Picture Show snarling charm in “Didn't Want” and Zelda kitsch-gloom vibes in “Gotta Go”.
In the forthcoming video for “Take Me Back to the Ocean” various hand-made sea creature characters show a gloomy grayscale The Mollusc Dimension how to dive into a colourful world. The funk-fuelled “Love is Cool” will have you reaching for your dancing shoes and bopping with gender-non-conforming vampires under the moon. “Time to Play” is about family and work: “We just accepted that we had to work ten times as hard as everybody else for somebody who treated you as less than a human”. The psychedelic “Red Bird” is a harp pop song about impermanence.
As well as the nine songs, the five “TV/ film samples” are original recordings parodying film noir, English drama and an open-minded local hairdresser, performed by new voice artist, Urie Jo who, wearing their graphic design hat as Shaven Raven Designs was commissioned to illustrate and design the album cover art depicting scenes from The Mollusc's fantastical journey.
The hesitation to announce the release of his unusual debut album, “Welcome to The Mollusc Dimension” is perhaps a typical wariness having faced decades of invisibility and being seen as a contagious invader. Coronaracism didn't help either.
“You wonder why we've been hiding. Tell me where you've been looking..” he challenges in “Sounds Before Words”, which includes not one but two swoony electric guitar solos played by Wild (a non-binary take on the wails emitted by cis-male rock musicians which The Mollusc Dimension listened to in the 1990s).
Between his prolific output (videos, drawings, zines), The Mollusc Dimension finds time to dream. He hopes to see a music video which has been both directed and scored by him screened at a Film Festival and finally have a solo multimedia art show, as this could encourage the descendants of immigrants to pursue their dreams too. He also hopes to make it to at least one LGBTIQ+ Albums of the Year list in his lifetime. Keep your tentacles crossed for him...
“Welcome to The Mollusc Dimension” is on Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify and Soundcloud. Follow him on these platforms and spread the word. A deeply delightful, limited edition, red “vinyl” CD version is available.
RECORDING
The Mollusc Dimension deliberately eschewed acoustic piano (which he has played since the age of 4) in favour of the range of timbres offered by the Korg X50, his sole “current” synth from which he also sourced drum samples and played percussion live. Electric guitar and vocals are from fellow artist Wild, and the harpist is Emily Lai. While some of the Korg stems were recorded at The Mollusc Dimension’s home studio, most of “the really good stuff” was recorded and mixed by Felix X Macintosh who also produced his previous band’s debut EP, “Food & Other Flavours of Existence” / Squid & The Krakens (2013). The album was mastered by Chris McCormack.
DESIGN
Limited edition red “vinyl” CDs also have an unusual red base and arrive in gatefold packaging with artwork. The eye-catching illustrations and graphic design are by Shaven Raven Designs to convey the idea of the profound discoveries made on the journeys. The photographic elements combine with the digital drawings to create a magical realist mood. Together with the compositional concepts they are by the artist himself and hold personal significance.
EVENTS & UPDATES
Wild/ The Mollusc Dimension / Urie Jo
A joint album launch was held with fellow musician Wild (also releasing their debut album, Fire in the Wild) at the accessible and community-powered space, DIY Space for London on November 9th 2019. Music videos and performances to venues around the UK and beyond are planned for 2020 and beyond. Sign up to the Mollusc Dimension’s Mailing list and/or follow on Social Media to stay tuned to updates!
Listen to the album / Buy a track, EP or album to support The Mollusc Dimension and help him create more projects!
Still by Kai Fi’ain