 |
| Touming Magazine Logo
Touming means transparent
|
Personally I love both the punk style of Touming Magazine, and Hom, Shen-Hao's calmer performance. One interesting fact to share with, while in the show of the band, 90 percent of the audience might be males, and during the show of Hom, Shen-Hao himself, it's would be completely reverse. Either you prefer full-set punk band, or acoustic guitar only, I bet you would love both experience with Touming Magazine and Hom, Shen-Hao.
Only released one album so far, Touming Magazine is still lots people's favorite Taiwanese band (including myself). After a two-year break time, they announced last weekend that there would be more foreseeing performances in the future which I am sure that you definitely don't want to miss all.
This song from Touming Magazine is called "Midnight Dinner" which described someone who couldn't fall asleep at three o'clock. With that dreamy feeling, he/she observed and pondered things around the world, and then, it's morning again, another brand new day, another fresh start.
In an interview, they said this album might be a bit low-fi while recording; however, it reflected the very thought, might be rough but true, of band members in their beats, their music. So simple and pure, I think that's why people like Touming Magazine, and their simplified music.
 |
| Hom, Shen-Hao's record label |
OK, back to Hom, Shen-Hao, the vocal/guitar of Touming Magazine. He released his debut album under his own record label in 2013. People are surprised of the genre-changing from this young musician. He explained in his former interview that he composes new music almost everyday, and there's no limitation of styles for him. Some of his own composition are pretty achievable that he would like to share with people, and that's how "Light Coral" was made, a simple concept of sharing.
The intro song of Light Coral is called "Night Cruising". Because he personally like wandering at night in Taipei City, then he gathered all the ideas of his fond toward quiet nights and freedom into this song. I do feel the free spirit of night walk from Hom, Shen-Hao's Night Cruising. How about you?
Then this song "Quality of Sleep" is my favorite song form Light Carol album. He simply built a fantasy dream in his music. In his lyrics, lingering around the same street, quietly and secretly, no one ever really cares about you, and you don't actually mind others' gossip. "Be yourself, no matter how life treat you", is what I get after listening to this song. No matter how life sucks, you can always escape/hide in your own created dreams.
The other reason I love this song is the instrument-changing which create several different possibility for listener to build their own world. With a gloomy start with drums and piano using repeated melody to create a steady base, and then adds up different instruments, such as guitar and synthesizer to embrace listeners with magical dreamy atmosphere where you would never let your imagination down.
In December 2014, Hom, Shen-Hao released his second album "Bored" also under his own record label_Petit alp record, and this is the fifth album under his label within only one year. We can tell his passion on music never fades away but increasing. Although. from other interviews, he confessed that finance is still very hard for every independent label and musician. So, if you have time and passion towards independent music, wherever you are, please stand out and participate any performances you like to support those musician. That's their motivation to keep making good music.
"Bored" is absolutely my favorite song of this album, because the rap part and mostly its lyrics. If you have tried to change the world in your own way, then you must hold the same feeling as Hom, Shen-Hao did. It's hard to get out from the frame the society built hundreds years ago, but you gotta try, you gotta walk on the edge to create your own contribution to change the world.
Hom, Shen-Hao is a productive and brilliant musician. He won't be satisfied with how the world already is; instead, he's cling to the edge of what-you-should-do-as-a-human/musician/citizen/whatever hoping to provide "something important" to things he cares by music. The answer of innocence and pure heart is why people like him and his music collection.
