Authenticity can help an indie band along its journey. But it also requires imagination, persistence, and a ton of hard work to truly break through. The Taiwanese band Shallow Levée 淺堤 has all of these attributes, and this helps explain their growing popularity in their home country and other parts of Asia.
That work ethic is reflected in the decision by all four band members to speak to Pancouver over Zoom in English, even though not one has ever lived in an English-speaking country. Lead singer and songwriter Yi-Ling opens the conversation by explaining the band’s unusual name.
She discloses that “Shallow” came from the U.K. band Daughter’s 2013 song “Shallows”.
“We love their songs, so in the beginning we picked up this word,” Yi-Ling says. “Second, we are from Kaohsiung, a harbour city. There are many levees, so we put these two words together.”
Kaohsiung is a large port city in southern Taiwan. The weather is warmer than in some other parts of the country because the Central Mountain Range blocks northeastern winds. As a result, lots of warm air flows from Taiwan Strait into the city.
Shallow Levée’s bass player, Patrick Fang, draws a parallel between the band’s poetic compositions and his hometown’s geography.
“Somebody said that our music feels like the sea breeze,” Fang states.
The Jade Music Fest will present Shallow Levée at a free showcase at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday (November 8) at the Revue Stage (1601 Johnston Street) on Granville Island. It will mark the band’s first live show outside of Asia.
Watch the video for “Eventually”.
Shallow Levée creates clever videos
Shallow Levée’s melodic, pop-infused song “Eventually” is a perfect example of its breezy, alternative sound. But it also carries a serious message.
Drummer Tang (“Sam”) Huang emphasizes that “Eventually” is about the economic challenges faced by young people, including the high cost of rent.
“That experience can shape a person’s whole life,” Huang declares.
The lyrics reflect this sentiment.
“If the life I chose at 18 / Cannot be taken back / Then now what am I / Holding on to?” sings Yi-Ling.
According to Hong Cha, the official music video for “Eventually” is set in the future when there are no rock ‘n’ roll bands. The guitarist explains the video’s premise this way: “We start a company and we provide a service. If you have some rock ‘n’ roll needed, you can rent a band and we will play for you. So, it’s fiction. It’s a fun story.”
Meanwhile, another of their more recent songs, “I’ve Changed”, reveals a grittier side. Yet it retains a bouncy, melodic sound.
The official music video shows band members rocking hard in a parking lot—along with images of them engaging in favourite activities.
“My mindset shifted from fighting for survival to having plenty of time,” Yi-Ling explains in Traditional Chinese on YouTube. “Finally, I’ve reached the age where I can eat ramen whenever I want after work, but I’m suffering from indigestion.”
Watch the video for “I’ve Changed”.
Yi-Ling sings in Mandarin and Taiwanese
Huang says that “I’ve Changed” demonstrates Yi-Ling’s growing focus on writing personally reflective songs, often in Taiwanese. This stands apart from her other compositions in Mandarin on larger societal themes.
Being from Kaohsiung—a hotbed of progressive politics in Taiwan—these thoughtful band members remain vitally concerned about the state of the planet.
“At the beginning, I wrote most about the environment,” Yi-Ling acknowledges.
The band came together in 2016 after Yi-Ling wrote the single, “Excavator”. She brought it to Hong Cha, who felt that it was so good that they should work together. From there, they invited Tang and Huang to join the band, bringing them in from Kaohsiung’s relatively small indie-music scene.
“Excavator” was a hit, earning a Golden Indie Music Award Song for Best Rock Song. That was followed by their EP Soup & Ocean and critically acclaimed full-length albums The Village and Endless Playlist. Now, Shallow Levée is working on their next full-length album, which they expect to release next year.
In a video on YouTube, Hong Cha reveals that he spent a great deal of time listening to international bands, including the Foo Fighters. Fang tells Pancouver that band members have been inspired by Taiwanese Hakka musician Lin Sheng-Hsiang and his band.
Lin, a celebrated indie composer and performer, was born in a Hakka district in Kaohsiung in 1971. Long before Shallow Levée became popular, he was writing songs reflecting the concerns of people in his hometown.
Shallow Levée’s drummer, Huang, persuaded band members to move to Taipei to achieve greater success. As Hong Cha looks back, he says there are two distinct phases in their musical career.
“At the very beginning, we were a bunch of people hanging out in Kaohsiung and there was not much competition. “We just did whatever we wanted.”
Watch the video for “Leave Me Alone”.
From Kaohsiung to Taipei
Now in the second phase of their career, they’re all living in the bigger metropolis of Taipei. They know that they must retain their creative flair to remain relevant to their fans.
They’ve advanced this goal by creating an online community for fans to share their own stories. Another breakthrough came with the song “Leave Me Alone”, which resulted from a road trip to Taitung on Taiwan’s southeastern coast.
Hong Cha says that in the past, Yi-Ling would write the melody and lyrics. Band members filled out the sound with well-crafted arrangements.
“We’re changing it around on the new album,” he reveals.
As an example, the band started jamming and came up with the rhythm first for “Leave Me Alone”. Yi-Ling added lyrics and texture.
This bright-sounding song has a tropical feel. The band reinforces this mood through a brilliantly animated official music video.
“We were trying to break away from our usual ways of making music,” Yi-Ling says. “So this is a really special song for us.”
It also marked the band’s first major collaboration on a music video with an artist who specializes in illustration. It’s one more reason why nobody can accuse Shallow Levée of complacency.
“Actually, I’m really proud of how hard we work,” Huang says. “We have to stay serious about getting better every day.”
Event details
The Jade Music Fest and the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative will present Shallow Levée 淺堤 along with HoNi 好日樂團 and Shu Chan Chiu 邱淑蟬 in a panel discussion called Multilingual Music in the Taiwanese Indie Scene. It will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday (November 5) at the Coach House (8201 Cecil Green Park Road) at UBC’s Green College. As part of the Jade Music Fest, members of Shallow Levée 淺堤 will also share their touring philosophy at 11 a.m. on Friday (November 7) at The Nest. It’s on the third floor of Festival House (1398 Cartwright Street) on Granville Island. Both events are free.
In addition, the Jade Music Fest will present Shallow Levée 淺堤 at a free showcase at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday (November 8) at the Revue Stage (1601 Johnston Street) on Granville Island. Toronto-based multi-instrumental singer-songwriter Violet Ziyi Grace (恩紫怡) and Vancouver-based indie electro-pop singer-songwriter Emma (眼圈儿) will also perform at this showcase. To learn more about the Jade Music Fest, visit the website.
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