Sino Movements by Shudan

Sino Movements is a bridge between Shudan’s cultural roots and his upbringing under grime’s soundscape in London. Not only is it informed by his experiences as a child of the 90s/noughties – think Japanese RPGs, Kung Fu films and 8-bar instrumental grime tracks – but also the language he grew up hearing, the food he was raised on and his parents’ Chinese Vietnamese beginnings. 

Across its 15 tracks, Sino Movements collects all of the musical directions the talented producer has shared with us up until this point. The album features tracks that are dubstep orientated, “Oishii”, weightless mixes, “Oolong”, ambient, “Hōjō Clan”, and inspired by videogame OSTs, “SquareSoft.” Shudan also enlists the vocal talents of grime royalty Durrty Goodz, electrifying MC Scrufizzer and Chinese opera vocalist Yunxiao. All of this is tied onto the thread of the artist’s roots in grime, making Sino Movements undoubtedly the genre’s strongest presentation of its connection with several corners of Eastern influence.
Having previously produced for the likes of Durrty Goodz, gracing grime and dubstep specialist label White Peach multiple times, with notable releases such as Pak Choi, and, more recently, scoring the game Moonfrost, Sino Movements is one of those rare opportunities to listen to a complete body of work by a perfectionist. Shudan’s 3 releases over the past 10 years, and his feature on only 3 compilations, prove the artist’s selective process and dedication to craftsmanship at the sacrifice of being prolific.

When talking about the background of the album, Shudan said: “The heart of the inspiration for this release has been pulled from my childhood – playing video games with my brother, listening to cassette tapes of 80s and 90s Canto-Pop stars as my family drove through East London into the West End and Chinatown. I identify as British and view myself as a Londoner that feels simultaneously connected and disconnected to my ethnic origins in the East. The album sounds the way it does as a result of this.”

nohatsnohoods.com