After much anticipation, Liverpool-London music outfit Tian Qiyi has released their sophomore album 'Songs For Workers' via Pagoda Records, which features the legendary Jah Wobble on bass. Over its 10 tracks, they take us on a fascinating ethno-psychedelic musical journey, bridging generations and cultures, blending deep dub grooves with Eastern traditions.

Tian Qiyi is more than just a band, bringing together brothers John Tian Qi Wardle and Charlie Tian Yi Wardle with their father, Jah Wobble (John Wardle). Their 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.

In the lead-up to this album's release, Tian Qiyi shared the stellar singles 'Watch The Sunrise', 'Mongolian Dub' and 'Dharma', each offering a captivating blend of Eastern psychedelic melodies and Charlie's ethereal vocals, underpinned by a hypnotic fusion rhythm and beautiful percussion. As groovy as it is addictive, the trio serve up a truly grounding experience.

"'Songs For Workers' is an album where we have moved away from influences and inspiration, instead embracing instinct and familiarity. Our background played a crucial role, from the traditional Chinese music we learned with our grandad and mum, to the improvisational, instinctive playing we developed from performing and recording with our dad," says John Tian Qi Wardle.

Building on their acclaimed 2024 debut album 'Red Mist', with standout singles 'Incantation' and 'Red Mist',Tian Qiyi continues to forge a sound that blends dub, post-punk, and experimental production with rich influences from Traditional Chinese, Mongolian, and Irish music.

With support from Gideon Coe, Mark Riley and Stuart Maconie on BBC 6 Music, and from John Kennedy on Radio X London, 'Songs For Workers' presents limitless 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.

With John Tian Qi on drums and percussion, Charlie Wardle’s unique vocal style is to the fore. His incredible musical dexterity on traditional Chinese and Mongolian instruments imbues their music with a funky and, at times, psychedelic quality. While Jah Wobble plays bass on most tracks, John Tian Qi contributes bass on 'Luoyang' and 'Siege' and synth / Moog bass on 'Watch The Sunrise'.

'Songs For Workers' not only highlights their growing creative independence and production skills, but also 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 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.

'Songs for Workers' is out now, available from fine digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. A handful of festival shows will be happening this summer in support of this album.

CREDITS

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, percussion, Yang Qin, synth bass, keys & synthsJah Wobble - bass on 'At the Beginning', 'Mongolian Dub', 'Dharma', 'Dharma AMBIENT' & 'Songs For Workers'
Mike McGoldrick - pipes and flute on 'At the Beginning', 'Dharma' & 'Dharma AMBIENT.'
Martin Chung - guitar on 'Songs For Workers' singleProduced by Tian Qiyi (Charlie Tian Yi Wardle and John Tian Qi Wardle).
Recorded at Pagoda Studio, Airtight Studios, and Pressure Drop.
Engineering by John Tian Qi Wardle with Seadna McPhail (on 'At the Beginning', 'Mongolian Dub', 'Dharma' & 'Dharma AMBIENT')and with Will Farley (on 'Songs For Workers')
Mixed by John Tian Qi Wardle, with additional mixing by Charlie Tian Yi Wardle & Jah Wobble on 'At the Beginning', 'Dharma' & 'Dharma AMBIENT'Special thanks to Sean Leonard, Pagoda Arts, Will Farley, and Antony Walsh at Pressure Drop
Published by Domino Publishing / 30 Hertz
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR