Customer Reviews

Shanghai Lounge Divas

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The originals are great and a real good way to whet one's appetite for the old 1930's Shanghai 78s recordings from Pathe. Luckily, the original recordings were compiled by EMI into a 5-disc box set sold only in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Luckily, that set is available here: [...]
If you want more of this music, go dig around for a set of cd's called "The Pathe 100". There are collections of the pre-WWII female vocalists, old Chinese film scores and all kinds of audible oriental goodness.

I bought this album for the 2nd disc, featuring the original recordings. Precious little of this genre is available on cd. I'm satisfied, but not particularly delighted with it. The sound quality is mediocre. Apparently the source recordings are later-generation lp's, not the original 78's. Also the title is misleading, since only a few of the recordings are from the 30's. Most of the songs are from the 40's and 50's. The liner notes also leave a lot to desire, featuring short biographies of some of the singers, but virtually no information about the recordings on the disc. I'm happy with the music, but look forward to a better presentation of these recordings in the future.

Ian Widgery is no Fatboy Slim. The original tracks by Bai Guang, Zhou Xuan, etc., are wonderful old discs. And in the right hands they could be sampled and scratched into something jaw-dropping.

But the remix is like bad 'seventies disco, like "Stars on 45" or those dreadful "Star Wars" dance singles. Cheesy synthasizers & tedious beat tracks. Forget it.

These beautiful recordings date from the emergence of the first Chinese popular singers who emerged in the 1930 and worked in China prior to 1949. Several of the artists among those considered the "Seven Great Singing Stars". The music documents the short lived happy and optimistic period in China before the war and the communist takeover which banned this genre of music. In this music we can also see the formative years of what evolved into Mandopop which after 1949 migrated to Hong Kong and later Taiwan. The selection is quite representative of some of the more famous artists and their work.

Sadly, as other reviewers mentioned the recordings are not rendered at their best, and the remix CD won't be shining down the years. Another issue is the incorrect translations of the song titles. Some are plain wrong! Some, while not particularly difficult to translate, are only rendered in the Chinese phonetic system Pinyin.

Was VERY fortunate to find this at a used store in Toronto in 05. What an amazing find. As if the originals weren't great enough, the remixes are FANTASTIC! Everyone I have played this for loves it and wants it. Long live Ian!

Wow what a great 2 disc cd. I purchased the Shanghai -The sex the city album (2006 petrol records) before I knew this album existed.
I have to say that the producer Ian is creatively ahead of the times. Incorporating electro, club, lounge and world beats with samples from asian music from the 1920's - I can't wait to hear more.
The fusion of its east meets west & the importance of Chineese music is all on this CD. The 2 disc set even includes the original versions which are great too.
The whole CD just flows- A class Cd which is very addictive listening.

I am a fan of Hotel Costes style album and if you are too you will love this CD!

I have read the rants agaisnt the remixes on this 2 disc set and must disagree. The remixes were great, very techno-lounge-meets-madame Wong. Some of the cuts will remind some listeners of The Yellow Magic Orchestra. The original recordings are something I would never have listened to unless I was in China somewhere, so it is good exposure to the old and exotic. But, it is in the freshness and newness that this compilation succeeds. I bought this CD in Chile without any prior knowledge and loved it immediately. I highly reccomend it to anyone who likes Buddah Bar or Hotel Costes or other chill type music.

This is a great compilation of songs by well known lounge singers of Shanghai during the 1930s period. This is a must buy for anyone who like the Chinese songs featured in the soundtrack of Wong Kai Wai's movie In the Mood for Love. One thing I dislike about it are the remixes on the first disc. It's like listening to hip/hop or techno pop versions of Moon River or Misty. Fortunately you also get the original versions on the second disc.