The Sound of Shanghai Indie

"The Sound of Shanghai Indie" brings together a wide range of bands and artists that reflect the city’s evolving underground music scene over the past couple of decades. This playlist blends gritty garage rock from acts like Oh! Dirty Fingers and Top Floor Circus with more experimental productions from groups such as Duck Fight Goose and Absolute Purity. There’s also a healthy presence of post-punk, noise, lo-fi pop, and synth-heavy tracks, offering a lens into the eclecticism that has defined indie music coming out of Shanghai.

The playlist features well-known expatriate-formed bands like Pairs, Boys Climbing Ropes, and Friend or Foe alongside emerging local names such as Shu Ying, RUBUR, and Me and My Sandcastle. From high-energy tracks like “Cheap Cheap Time I Live, Money Money Saves Me” to more ambient or theatrical touches from acts like Cold Fairyland and the Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers, it covers a broad sonic spectrum. The mix balances raw DIY energy with melodic introspection, representing both the old guard and the newer wave of artists shaping Shanghai’s independent sound.