Rating: 8.5 / 10 Stars
TIAN QIYI is: John Tian Qi Wardle (drums/percussion, bass, synth), Charlie Tian Yi Wardle (morin khuur, erhu, vocals), with Jah Wobble (bass)
REVIEW – Experimental duo TIAN QIYI—brothers John Tian Qi Wardle and Charlie Tian Yi Wardle—are set to release their second full-length album ‘Songs For Workers’ on June 27th via Pagoda Records, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most thought-provoking and sonically adventurous releases of the year. With their father, legendary post-punk and dub bassist Jah Wobble, contributing his signature low-end groove, the brothers meld traditional Chinese and Mongolian instrumentation with dub, jazz, and krautrock. The result is a continuation of the boundary-defying journey that began on their acclaimed debut ‘Red Mist’.
‘Songs For Workers’ opens with the ambient “Ulaanbaatar,” a brief but immersive soundscape that sets the tone for what’s to come. From there, “At The Beginning” (featuring their father and post-punk legend Jah Wobble) drops in with thick, reverberating bass and hypnotic percussion, grounding the track’s experimental tones in groove-heavy reality. The spiritual lineage here is unmistakable: this is a family working in perfect sync, drawing from shared DNA and divergent influences.
Tracks like “The Route of Desire” and “Watch The Sunrise” tap into the duo’s penchant for cinematic storytelling. Layered instrumentation, ambient textures, and Charlie’s ethereal vocals bring these songs to life with a sense of forward momentum, like rituals performed under neon lights and ancient skies. “Dharma” is perhaps ‘Songs For Workers’ emotional and sonic centerpiece—a masterclass in genre fusion where dub meets Eastern psychedelia and philosophical longing. Jah Wobble’s bass anchors the track in earthly rhythm while the Wardle brothers paint in cosmic colors.
Instrumentals like “Luoyang” and “Siege” lean into spontaneity and tradition, full of expressive playing and complex rhythm. “Dharma AMBIENT” reimagines the earlier track with greater spaciousness and restraint, while the closer “Songs For Workers” becomes a rousing final chapter. It’s an anthem for resilience, driven by layered percussion and spiritual intent—a fitting statement for a project that prioritizes instinct, heritage, and evolution over convention.
What makes ‘Songs For Workers’ truly special is its fearless embrace of identity. This isn’t just genre-blending for experimentation’s sake; it’s a deeply personal expression of the band’s multicultural lineage. The Wardle brothers seamlessly channel influences from Miles Davis’s electric period, the raw pulse of krautrock, the poetry of Chinese classical music, and the drive of dub to create something entirely their own.
TIAN QIYI have crafted an album that feels alive—instinctual, meditative, and completely unbound. ‘Songs For Workers’ is not just a record; it’s a living document of diasporic sound, familial connection, and defiant creativity.
For more information on TIAN QIYI, visit:
www.Instagram.com/WeAreTian
www.X.com/WeAreTian
www.YouTube.com/@WeAreTian
www.Tiktok.com/@WeAreTian
www.Spotify.com/Artist/TianQiyi