Dustin Wong is set to return with new album 'Mediation of Ecstatic Energy' – check out a preview on Clash.
Those who say guitar music is staid or boring simply aren't trying hard enough. Out at the fringes, a number of musicians are continuing to find new ways to approach the guitar, wringing out fresh noises in the process.
Born in Japan, Dustin Wong is foremost amongst them. Years of practising have blessed the guitarist with chops in the traditional sense, but the musician also backed this up with an experimental bent which expresses itself in a vast collection of effects pedals.
Returning to his native Japan, new album 'Mediation of Ecstatic Energy' is a thoughtful, pioneering work. Out via Thrill Jockey on September 16th, Clash are able to bring you new track 'Liberal Christian Youth Ministry' before everyone else.
Introduced by Dustin Wong, the track was seemingly inspired by a work of fiction. "This track was something directly relating to the short story that is included in the album. About 3 kids meeting in their middle school rec room and discussing the nature of Christ. I went to a Christian missionary school from 3rd grade to graduating high school, and we used to always have weekly chapel meetings and the kids from school would perform as a band singing contemporary gospel songs".
"I was a bit of rebel at the time, not being too into the whole scene, I was listening to punk music and reading manga comics that were abject and controversial. When I was writing this song, it was as if my angst teenage self and the chords that my school youth group pluck at the weekly chapel meeting merged. We've all seen a boy one time or another with a green Mohawk with a crucifix around his neck".
"Compositionally the loop that I build is in a time signature that is something like 7/8 and the chords I strum on top towards the end is in 4/4. It allows the loop and the melodies played on top to orbit around each other."
Photo Credit: Hiromi Shinada
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