Cold Fairyland

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Cold Fairyland (Chinese: 冷酷れいこく仙境せんきょう; pinyin: Lěngkù Xiānjìng) is a Chinese rock music group based in Shanghai. Their style combines Eastern melodies and rhythms with Western symphonic rock and classical music. The band has two sides; classical and rock, which allows them to play in concert halls as well as in rock clubs. CFL's music has influences from Portishead, Dead Can Dance, Radiohead, early Genesis, Jethro Tull, Wong Faye and Dou Wei, and their genre is best described as progressive rock.

Cold Fairyland was established 2001 by Lin Di (vocals/pipa/keyboard) and Su Yong (bass). They reworked several songs they had each previously written and made a demo. Unofficially released online, it was soon picked up by an underground record company LStape and released on cassette. This demo became later available as their first CD Flying Over the City. Later the same year drummer Li Jia joined the band, and with a few others who came and went, they had their first show at a bar called NowhereTown. In September 2001 they played a cancer benefit at XinTianDi’s ARK Rock Club in Shanghai; thus began their long relationship with the club, playing most months at least once. They have played in many clubs and festivals across China, including The Beijing MIDI Music Festival, often referred to as the Woodstock of China. CFL began a rotation of guitarists until 2003 settling on Song Jianfeng, a MIDI device engineer who works with Su Yong. Next to join in 2004 was the cellist known as Yao Yao (Zhou Sheng'an) from the Shanghai Opera. Xi Jin'e was added as a keyboard player in summer of 2008, and Seppo M. Lehto replaced Su Yong on bass guitar in August 2008.

The name Cold Fairyland comes from a Chinese translation of one of Haruki Murakami's books (known in English as "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World") favored by Lin Di. The name reflects sometimes dark tones of their music.

Composer/arranger/keyboardist and pipa player Lin Di has been playing pipa since she was 4 years old. Her arrangement skills are bringing out often very surprising elements from the mix of cello/pipa/keyboards/bass/drums and guitar.

Cold Fairyland has released six albums, two in Taiwan (as Lin Di / Cold Fairyland) and four in China.

Performances include concerts in Europe, Japan and around China including The Beijing MIDI Music Festival 2004, 2006 and 2009 (in Zhenjiang). In 2004, Cold Fairyland contributed to the John Lennon Tribute of Yu Yin Tang Music and performed and recorded the song "Eleanor Rigby".

The band is made out of 3 married couples Lin and Lasry, Zhou and Li, Song and Xi.

Lineup[edit]

  • Lin Di 林りん笛ふえ : pipa, ruan, keyboards, vocals
  • Su Yong 苏勇 : bass, background vocals (2001-2008.8)
  • Seppo M. Lehto : bass, (2008.8-2011.3)
  • Jeremy Lasry : bass (2011.3-)
  • Zhou Sheng'an 周しゅう圣安 : cello, background vocals
  • Li Jia 李り佳けい: drums and percussion, background vocals
  • Song Jianfeng 宋そう建けん丰: guitars
  • Xi Jin'e 奚近萼がく : keyboards (2008.6-)

Discography[edit]

  • The Best of Cold Fairyland 2001-2015

Studio versions of the songs the way they were played live. Recorded 2009 in Shanghai Synergy Studios.

1:Mirror Theatre 摹仿剧场

2:A-Jia-Li-Ya-Lai 阿おもね加か裡うら亞あ萊

3:Mosul 摩ま苏尔

4:Dead Children in Newspapers 死し在ざい报纸上じょう的てき孩子

5:Sick Water

6:The Flood 洪水こうずい

7:A Desperate Flower in Your Hand 手心てごころ里さと的てき绝望花はな

8:Mountain Song of the High Lands 高地山こうちやま歌か

9:Wake 守もり护

10:Autumn Sleep 沉睡秋あき天たかし

11:Black Wings 黑色こくしょく的てき翅膀

12:Little Fairy 小しょう仙子せんこ

13:Wating for Farewell 等とう待まち告つげ别


  • Seeds on the Ground 地上ちじょう的てき种子 - 2007

Mostly acoustic songs with drums and some electric guitar, no keyboards. The music is written in Sonata Form. This CD shows the classical side of Cold Fairyland, and depending on the venue will be performed either in its original form or in heavier electric style.

1:Seeds on the Ground 地上ちじょう的てき种子

2:Shadow Play 光こう影かげ游ゆう戏

3:Five Travelers 五ご人にん同どう游ゆう

4:Puzzle 缭乱

5:Solemn, Silent Circle 肃静的てき旋转

6:Moon at the Fortified Pass 关山月がつ

7:Reawakening 苏醒

8:Cloud Riding 腾云驾雾

9:Forest Dance 轮舞

10:Ice Castle 冰封之の国くに

11:Ghost Town Nightmare 荒あら城じょう梦魇

Seeds on the Ground )A( Acustronik Mix by Seppo M. Lehto 2008, download only.

Seeds on the Ground )B( Acustronik Mix by Seppo M. Lehto 2010, download only, bass by Seppo M. Lehto.


  • Live at ARK- 冷酷れいこく仙境せんきょう 2005现场 - 2006

Recorded live in ARK Music Club 2005, Shanghai.

1:Mirror Theater 摹仿剧场

2:Dead Children In Newspapers 死し在ざい报纸上じょう的てき孩子

3:Mosul 摩ま苏尔

4:Puzzle 缭乱

5:The Blessed Place 福地ふくち

6:The Flood 洪水こうずい

7:Assassination 暗くら杀

8.Paris Cat 巴ともえ黎はじむ猫ねこ

9:Class Cutter 玻璃はり刀がたな

10:A Seed On The Ground 地上ちじょう的てき种子

11:A Desperate Flower in Your Hand 手心てごころ里さと的てき绝望花はな

12:Waiting For Farewell 等とう待まち告つげ别


  • Ten Days In Magic Land - 魔境まきょう十じゅう日にち - 2004, Solo Album by Lin Di

1:The First Day: Dance of Seduction 诱惑之の舞まい

2:The Second Day: Repentance Day 忏悔日び

3:The Third Day: The Blessed Place 福地ふくち

4:The Fourth Day: A Desperate Flower in Your Hand 手心てごころ里さと的てき绝望花はな

5:The Fifth Day: The Flood 洪水こうずい

6:The Sixth Day: Slaves 奴やつ隶们

7:The Seventh Day: Mirror Theater 摹仿剧场

8:The Eight Day: The Dusk In The Deep Green Prairie 绿草原はら深ふかし处的黄昏たそがれ

9:The Ninth Day: Wake 守もり护

10:The Tenth Day: Reincarnation 循回


  • Bride in Legend - 迷路めいろ新しん娘むすめ - 2004, Solo Album by Lin Di

An epic album which tells a story: a young girl's journey to marry a man afar becomes a quest of her own destiny and her life. Deserts, oasis, exotic natural scenes, wars and dreams all emerge in the music.

1:Yilang Yilang 依よ蘭らん依よ蘭らん

2:Marriage 嫁よめ

3:Mountain Song of the High Lands 高地山こうちやま歌か

4:Riddle in the Bronze Mirrors 謎なぞ語ご銅鏡どうきょう

5:Speechless in Forest 失語しつご叢林そうりん

6:A-jia-li-yalai 阿おもね加か裡うら亞あ萊

7:Love 愛あい

8:Mula-shabel War 慕拉沙すな貝かい大戰たいせん

9:Colorless Sun 陽光ようこう褪去了りょう顏色かおいろ

10:Heal the Wounds of Time 療治りょうじ時間じかん的てき創傷そうしょう


  • Kingdom of Benevolent Strangers - 陌生仙子せんこ国こく - 2003

1:3AM 凌しのげ晨三さん点てん

2:Soaring 飞翔主ぬし题

3:Autumn sleep 沉睡秋あき天たかし

4:Glass Cutter 玻璃はり刀がたな

5:Dead Children In Newspapers 死し在ざい报纸上じょう的てき孩子

6:DuDu! You Say 嘟嘟对你说

7:A Desperate Flower in Your Hand 手心てごころ里さと绝望的てき花はな

8:Paris Cat 巴ともえ黎はじむ猫ねこ

9:Little Fairy Girl 小しょう仙子せんこ

10: Color of Sunset 暮色ぼしょく


  • Flying Over The City - 2001

1:Morning 晨

2:Sea Rose

3:Black Wing 黑色こくしょく的てき翅膀

4:Who Knows 谁知

5:Only One 唯一ゆいいつ

6:Very... 很

7:Waiting For Farewell 等とう待まち告つげ别

Remastered 2008, available only as a download, including 2 additional songs: Child and a Feather (acoustic studio live), Black Wing (Karaoke)

Songs appearing on compilation CDs[edit]

  • Eleanor Rigby - John Lennon Tribute - Give Live a Chance - 2004 - China
  • Mirror Theatre - Rock and Roll Music Mag Issue 2006.4 insert CD. Booklet and CD with Zhou Sheng'an on both covers. www.xmusicmag.com - China
  • Little Fairy - Everyday You Live, Another Day I Die...Vol 3 - CD - 2011 - UK
  • Shadow Play (Acustronik Mix) - The Rough Guide To The Music Of China - CD - 2012 - UK

DVD and video[edit]

Awards[edit]

External links[edit]

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