August 2008
Thanks to all who came to see the premiere of 'Laogai' at the Dislocation Festival. Lao Gai is a three track free to download release available in Summer 2009, focusing on the brutal use of forced labour camps in the PRC. Lao Gai, directly translated as 'reform through labour', were set up under Mao, and like Stalin's Gulags, unfortunately outlived him. "In the last 50 years, more than 50 million people have been sent to prison camps and probably 50% of them have vanished,” states former prisoner and expert Harry Wu. This pool of free labour has played a key role in China’s economic development. But it’s come at a heavy human cost. This release attempts to conceptualise the use of forced labour and the resulting economic boom it has created, using regional instrumentation and live procressing. The performance will be accompanied by a 20 minute documentary of investigation and secret footage from inside a Chinese Labour Camp made by Wu and journeyman.
What/Who is Silk and Dogs?
Silk and Dogs is a politically motivated music project, perhaps akin to that of Ultra Red, using samples and sound sources, as well as traditional instrumentation and programming, to highlight particular political,social and cultural issues and concerns in China today. The work will always be free to download, alongside reading material related to the music. Silk and Dogs attempt to remain anonymous, solely because the issues highlighted are of more significance than the identity of a group of performers; the lack of a clear presence in production of performance removes the intensity and validity of the work. Silk and Dogs' performances are accompanied by visuals and occasional spoken word pieces. Silk and Dogs name comes from the epic box set created by the sadly departed Muslimgauze, whose music looked at the complex and interwoven troubles in the Middle East - "I don't think you can visit an occupied land. It's the principle. Not until it's free again."
Silk and Dogs can be contacted via the record label