Sunset Rollercoaster (Chinese: 落日飛車 Luòrì fēichē) is a 5-piece jazz-influenced synth-pop band from Taipei, Taiwan, consisting of Kuo-Hung Tseng (vocals, guitar), Hung-Li Chen (bass), Shao-Hsuan Wang (keyboard), Tsun-Lung Lo (drums), and Hao-Ting Huang (saxophone)—previously with Shih-Wei Huang (percussion). The name originated from a Photo Booth picture the group had taken for their MySpace profile in 2009, which had a rollercoaster in front of a sunset as the background.[1][2] The band mostly sings in English, despite being based in a Mandarin-speaking country, which, according to lead singer Kuo Kuo, is to allow them to speak indirectly and allow audiences to discern their own meaning.[3]
Sunset Rollercoaster | |||
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| Background information | |||
| Origin | Taipei, Taiwan | ||
| Genres | Jazz, funk, disco, synth-pop | ||
| Years active | 2009–2011, 2015–present | ||
| Members |
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| Past members | Shih-Wei Huang (percussion) | ||
| Website | sunsetrollercoaster | ||
| Chinese name | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 落日飛車 | ||
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History edit
The idea for the band was inspired by Velvet Underground videos that lead singer Kuo found on the internet. The band formed in 2009 as a trio composed of Tseng Kuo Hung, Kevin Lee, and Lo Zun Long; they released their debut album Bossa Nova in 2011, but then disbanded shortly afterward. Singer Kuo Kuo and drummer Lo Tsun formed another band, Forests, with a different, much darker sound. Sunset Rollercoaster reformed in 2015[4] and released their second album Cassa Nova in 2018.[5] In 2019, the band released the EP Vanilla Villa, which revolves around the story of an alien who loves a human whom it wants to take to a villa.[6]
The band played at the Summer Sonic music festival in Japan in 2011.[7] After their hiatus, they performed at SummerStage in Central Park, New York City, as part of the Taiwanese Waves music festival in 2017.[3] They recorded a live studio session at Audiotree in 2018, the first Taiwanese band to do so.[8] The band toured North America as part of the "Business Trip Tour" in 2018.[9][10]
In early 2020, Kuo-Hung Tseng wrote in Los Angeles lyrics for Soft Storm and recorded in part with Ned Doheny.[11] Their 2020 album Soft Storm was named the 4th best album in Asia in 2020 by NME.[12]
They composed 3 songs featured in the anime Sonny Boy.
Discography edit
Studio albums edit
- Bossa Nova (2011)
- Cassa Nova (2018)
- Soft Storm (2020)
Extended play edit
- Jinji Kikko (2016)
- Vanilla Villa (2019)
Singles edit
- Villa (Jerry Paper Remix) (2019)
- 我是一隻魚 I’m a fish (cover, 2019)
- Candlelight (feat. Oh Hyuk, 2020)
- 小薇 (cover, 2021)
- 忘情水 (cover, 2021)
- Coffee's on Me (2021)
- Let There Be Light Again (2021)
- 滾石40 滾石撞樂隊 40團拚經典 - 愛錯 (cover, 2021)
- 金牛座的牢騷 (cover, 2022)
- Little Balcony (2022)
- Jellyfish (feat. Michael Seyer, 2022)
- Impossible Isle (2022)
- Levia (2023)
- Balloon (cover/remake, 2023)
Awards edit
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 9th Golden Indie Music Awards | Best Album | Cassa Nova | Nominated | [13] |
| Best Band | Sunset Rollercoaster | Nominated | |||
| Best Musician | Tseng Kuo-Hung | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | 30th Golden Melody Awards | Best Music Video | Namso, Youkim ("Slow") | Won | [14][15] |
| Best Band | Sunset Rollercoaster | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | 32nd Golden Melody Awards | Best Band | Sunset Rollercoaster | Won | [16][17] |
References edit
- ^ Vukmanovic, Iris (October 14, 2019). "Review: Sunset Rollercoaster's Pie Shop concert was out of this world". The Diamondback. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ Vukmanovic, Iris (October 3, 2019). "Preview: Taiwanese Sunset Rollercoaster performing to sold-out show in D.C." The Diamondback. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Milano, Brett (September 21, 2018). "Sunset Rollercoaster swoops through '80s synth-pop". Boston Herald. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Fisher, Rachel (December 3, 2018). "Get to Know the Dreamy 5-Member Band Sunset Rollercoaster". WIUX. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Raygoza, Isabela (August 10, 2016). "Riding the Taiwanese Soul Whirlwind with Sunset Rollercoaster". Bandcamp. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Martin, Clare (May 1, 2019). "Daily Dose: Sunset Rollercoaster, "Villa"". Paste. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ "SUNSET ROLLERCOASTER". Summer Sonic.
- ^ "落日飛車 Sunset Rollercoaster". Audiotree.
- ^ Lindsay, Cam (October 17, 2020). "Sunset Rollercoaster Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ON, October 16". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Ely, Paulette (October 10, 2019). "Sunset Rollercoaster- Villa (Jerry Paper Remix)". Flaunt. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "SOFT STORM, by Sunset Rollercoaster". Sunset Rollercoaster 落日飛車. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
- ^ "The 25 best Asian albums of 2020". NME. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ "第9屆金音創作獎入圍名單" [9th Golden Indie Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. September 17, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ "第30屆金曲獎流行音樂類入圍名單" [30th Golden Melody Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ "第30屆金曲獎流行音樂類得獎名單" [30th Golden Melody Awards Winners]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. June 29, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ TTV. "第32屆金曲獎頒獎典禮 - 入圍暨得獎名單" [30th Golden Melody Awards Winners]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ Chiang, Yi-ching (August 21, 2021). "Indie quintet Sunset Rollercoaster wins best band at Golden Melody Awards". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
External links edit
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