Music is an art form that transcends languages and cultures, and the band is an important part of this art form that is highly dynamic and diverse. China’s music market has spawned many great bands that continue to explore and innovate in different styles of music.
Fazi is an outstanding band that was formed in 2010 in Xi’an, China. Their music style is influenced by post-punk and indie rock from the 1970s and 1980s, characterized by strong rhythms and rich emotions. Their lyrics often explore social issues and personal emotions. This makes their music not only a sonic experience but also a reflective journey through the complexities of life.
Fazi is known for one distinctive feature: the lead singer Peng Liu often “throws punches” during performances. Peng’s “punching style” is entirely spontaneous, flowing from the imagery of Fazi’s music like a form of “Xingyi Boxing,” with no fixed patterns, driven purely by instinct. It’s a physical release of the music’s emotions, and even Peng himself can’t remember exactly when it all started.
One of the main features of Fazi’s music-making is their approach to improvised songwriting. The band members — Peng Liu (vocals), Cheng Ma (guitar), Jiaxuan Li (bass), and Boyang Li (drums) — have developed a deep understanding of each other’s musical instincts. This level of synchronisation allows for spontaneous songwriting that captures the raw emotion of the moment, which results in music that is both authentic and powerful.
Despite being such a vibrant band, it’s difficult for them to be heard by the world because of China’s internet restrictions, but that hasn’t stopped them from ‘pursuing international recognition’.
In May of this year, Fazi travelled to the United States for Austin SXSW. it was a long-awaited show for Fazi, as they hadn’t had the opportunity to reach an international audience directly in a long time.
Peng Liu said, “It was a small indoor stage that we hadn’t tried for a long time, and playing face-to-face with the audience would receive their enthusiastic feedback and stimulate each other in a way that you can’t find in China anymore. We try to find a balance between the feelings and horizons of this trip abroad and our current state.”
Peng added: “Before we went to the United States, we thought it was just a show, but after we arrived in the United States, the kind of atmosphere we hadn’t experienced in a long time of being immersed in music strengthened our belief in exploring the overseas market.”
We should not confine ourselves to a single scene. We should continually embrace new beginnings. Be it at the ages of 20, 30, or 40, we can embark on a fresh start. That sense of renewal is within reach.
Boyang Li, Drummer of Fazi
Due to China’s internet firewall, Fazi is unable to release and promote their music directly on platforms such as YouTube and Spotify, resulting in low exposure in the international market.
They would use vpn to log into these platforms, but in reality these practices are not allowed in China, so promoting their music to the world became very difficult and risky for them.
Fazi is preparing for a European and UK tour, which is expected to be able to be implemented in the first half of next year.
Peng said, “Because only the promotion of social media accounts is not enough, the most important thing about music is to feel it live. We especially welcome everyone to be able to come and feel the music with us live, so please look forward to news of our shows, which will be posted on instagram then.”
Fazi has many excellent music works, and in 2024, they released their latest full-length album, “Folding Story.”
The album ‘Folding Story’ has a different side to Fazi, it’s gentler, more subtle and richer, and even has a few ‘un-Fazi-like’ songs. Liu Peng was frank, he felt that they sincerely expressed what they really wanted to say. At the end of the recording day, the four members of the band listened to their music together and felt moved by the fact that it was infused with their truest lives and emotions.
“Never Say Forever” features Liu Peng’s daily conversations with his girlfriend, and “Invisible Water” is inspired by the childlike language of Liu Peng’s daughter. There’s a lot of reading on the record, the couple’s ear to ear on “Beautiful Teeth”, themselves talking to themselves on “Delingha”, and “Silence”was recorded on a mobile phone on the side of the road on a snowy, noisy day.
‘Folding Story’ folds in countless moments of life and countless stories of ordinary people. Birth, the cruelty and sweetness of youth, the pursuit of ideals, and the destruction of ideals. As the music flows, there is always a certain folded memory that unfolds again, a thousand people have a thousand folding stories.
When an ordinary young man discovers that he can take it all on, the world will be bright again.
Lili
Released alongside the album is a concept documentary of the same name, showcasing the band’s precise control of music and visual art to create an immersive experience for the audience. This work also just fulfils what they had promised: ‘pushing the boundaries of traditional music presentation’.
Fazi will continue to break new ground, a process that is full of perseverance and creativity, while expressing their relentless pursuit of art.
Their journey has only just begun, and with their upcoming tour, they will leave a lasting impact on the global music scene.
For more exciting content on all things music, follow me on Instagram: @losticm! I’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive updates, and my personal insights on the world of music.
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