IN A WORLD dominated by British and American music, the sounds of Asia have always struggled to be heard outside their native lands. But six months ago, one man had a vision to change that.
Hans Ebert, a vice-president of Universal Music Asia, embarked on a 'labour of love' to create an album that demanded global attention, showcasing talent from Hong Kong to India to South Korea and most points in between. The fruits of that labour will soon be yielded, as Eastern Sunrise is slated for worldwide release.
Sri-Lankan born Ebert, who has worked in the Asian music industry for more than 20 years, was convinced the amount of chill-out music being made in Asia was growing and deserved recognition.
'The project began as a kind of Asian equivalent of Cafe del Mar,' says Ebert, referring to the phenomenally successful chill-out compilation albums put out annually by the Ibizan club of the same name. 'But it morphed into something else and has taken on an identity of its own. It's a postcard from Asia to the world.'
Eastern Sunrise turned out to be an eclectic double album featuring established stars and acts previously unheard of outside their local communities. An intriguing example of this is Hong Kong duo Digital Cutup Lounge's remix of a song by Canadian singer-songwriter of the moment Nelly Furtado, and Asha Bhonsle, the 70-year-old 'Grandmother of Hindi music'. This will be used as a B-side to an upcoming Furtado single in the United States.
Superstars featured include Hong Kong's Faye Wong, actress Cecilia Yip Tung with her first recording and the mainland's Ding Fei-fei - the first Chinese singer to score a British top-40 hit when dance duo Way Out West remixed one of her songs last year. Lesser-known Hong Kong act DRUM also contribute alongside artists from Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines.
'This is a starting point for taking Asian music to the outside world,' enthuses Ebert. 'This is the only project we've done where the only hassle we have had is to say 'no more'. We had to cut down the tracks. We could have got four CDs. So there'll be an Eastern Sunrise Two.'