• Wulijimuren: Sun of UTC+8

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    JonathanFrahm Posted On June 11, 2018
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    Wulijimuren is a guitarist with a dream. Coming from humble beginnings in a small Inner Mongolian town, he began his ascent into the musical world when his brother gave him his guitar in 1992 before embarking on a journey to conduct a job far from home. For the 26 years since, he has been honing his craft, being at one with the spirit of his guitars as they set forth on their own continued adventures together. His time as a musician has brought him from performing a multitude of sessions in Beijing before leaving the studio in 2005, settling in New York. Accompanied by an instrument he picked up for $100 out of a deli when he arrived in the States, Wulijimuren set forth to create an album that tells of his journey thus far.

    Sun of UTC+8 is this story, condensed to its greatest points for clarity, and as told by an electric guitar and a collective of other instruments all played by Wulijimuren. Musically, the album speaks to the new age blues and jazz movements that started hitting their stride around the time Wulijimuren began coming into his own behind the guitar. Everything here is a pleasant listen and just a little epic, especially when reading along with each story that Wulijimuren has to tell behind each composition.

    The production all feels a little outdated on the overall, though this feels less like an issue in the mastering room and more like a conscious choice—MIDI strings and all—which don’t necessarily sounds bad as it does from another time. Still, if this is the type of music you’ve enjoyed for as long as Wulijimuren has, there isn’t much to abhor here. Rather, for what it is, it is quite well done.

    The real treat, however, really comes together when you read the life stories Wulijimuren has to tell behind each track on the album. As his words come into play, each composition plays out that much more ebulliently. Sun of UTC+8 will be one of the most personally-crafted albums of 2018, without a shadow of a doubt. The pure heart that Wulijimuren has to share is admirable, making for a journey well worth taking alongside him.

    Words by: Jonathan Frahm (@jfrahm_)




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