Genre-defying UK-based music outfit Tian Qiyi are back this summer with their sophomore album 'Songs For Workers', to be released via Pagoda Records, having already generated plays from Gideon Coe, Mark Riley and Stuart Maconie on BBC 6 Music, and from John Kennedy on Radio X London.
Tian Qiyi presents 'Watch The Sunrise', the stunning lead track to their new 10-track collection and an introduction to their groundbreaking musical journey, which bridges generations and cultures, blending deep dub grooves with Chinese and Celtic traditions.
More than just a band, Tian Qiyi brings together brothers John Tian Qi Wardle and Charlie Tian Yi Wardle with their father, legendary bassist Jah Wobble (John Wardle). The band's unique sound reflects their rich family heritage, blending their father's pioneering work in post-punk and dub with the Chinese cultural influences of their mother, Zilan Liao.
"'Watch the Sunrise' draws from the folk traditions we grew up learning from our grandad. It’s a melody-driven track, grounded by a steady beat throughout. Charlie gets to show off his string skills, layering four different bowed instruments from China and Mongolia, adding a rich, textured sound that pays homage to our East Asian roots," says John Tian Qi Wardle.
Building on the foundation of their acclaimed 2024 debut album 'Red Mist', with standout singles 'Red Mist' and 'Incantation', The Wardle brothers continue to forge a sound that blends dub, post-punk, and experimental production with rich influences from Traditional Chinese, Mongolian, and Irish music.
"With 'Sunrise', we wanted to explore a more structured songwriting approach different to the rest of the album — a song with defined verses and a chorus, without leaning too far into a commercial sound. The idea for the main melody came after I’d been listening to a lot of traditional music from Xinjiang; I was drawn to how expressive and rhythmically rich it was, and how it carried this feeling of movement and openness. When I brought the melody to John back in England, he started playing the rhythm that now drives the track," says Charlie Tian Yi Wardle.
"Lyrically, I wanted to explore spiritual, mainly Buddhist ideas. In ‘watching the sunrise’, with night turning to day and dark to light, we understand there is an interdependence necessary in order for either word to hold any conceptual meaning. Similarly, I wanted to explore the interdependence between life and death, rationality and faith, and the role of the ego, perception and the idea of a self/non self within this."
'Songs for Workers' represents the next evolution in Tian Qiyi's mission to create border-crossing musical experiences that honour their diverse influences while crafting something uniquely their own, further exploring the intersection of traditional Asian and Celtic soundscapes with contemporary dub production techniques.
John Tian Qi handles all drumming and percussion - both Eastern and Western - on the album. Charlie Wardle’s unique vocal style is to the fore, as is his incredible musical dexterity on traditional Chinese and Mongolian instruments, bringing a funky and, at times, psychedelic quality to the music, in addition to that which is expressly traditional.
Jah Wobble plays bass on most of the album’s tracks, while John Tian Qi contributes bass on 'Luoyang' and 'Siege' and synth / Moog bass on 'Watch The Sunrise', highlighting Tian Qiyi's growing creative independence and production chops.
Fully produced by Tian Qiyi, 'Songs For Workers' marks a bold step forward in their cross-cultural, multi-generational musical journey. Rooted in heritage and driven by experimentation, their sound is shaped by the magnetic tension between ancient tradition and dub futurism, East and West, land and spirit—a musical space that is uniquely their own.
Drawing inspiration from Miles Davis's groundbreaking electric period and the experimental spirit of Krautrock, the band creates expansive, boundary-pushing soundscapes that defy easy categorization. Jah Wobble's involvement adds a deep, distinctive dub foundation to the family's cross-cultural vision, while the brothers' mastery of traditional Chinese instruments reflects their maternal heritage.
The duo's name itself carries deep personal significance, combining elements of the brothers' middle names: "Tian," shared by both siblings, paired with "Qi" (meaning "together") and "Yi" (meaning "one"). This linguistic fusion mirrors their musical approach, where disparate elements unite to create something entirely new—much like their parents' union of Eastern and Western cultural traditions.
On May 9, 'Watch The Sunrise' is available on fine digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. The full 'Songs for Workers' album will be released on June 28 and is now available for pre-order.
SINGLE CREDITS
Performed by Tian Qiyi
Composed by John Tian Qi Wardle, Charlie Tian Yi Wardle, Jah Wobble
Charlie Tian Yi Wardle - Morin Khuur, Er Hu, Ghijik, Vocals
John Tian Qi Wardle - Drum Kit, Synth Bass, Percussion, Yang Qin
Engineered & Mixed by John Tian Qi Wardle
Recorded at Pagoda Studio
Released by Pagoda Records
Published by Domino Publishing / 30 Hertz
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
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