Ming & Ping

Ming & Ping is our fourth record, released in 2009. For this one we took a very different approach, creating a very organic and loose sound, compared to our previous releases. This was the first time we had incorporated live drums and percussions by Jamie Can, as well as the first time we included a guest vocalist in Mariqueen Maandig Reznor (How to Destroy Angels). We also chose to create packaging that matched our organic, weathered songs – printing a cardboard sleeve on reclaimed paper and using soy inks and finished with a hand-stamped official seal.

Music

When we started on this record, we already had many words written in our books, but not much music. When we read over the potential lyrics, we felt that we must approach the sound very organically. Making this record would be a natural and social process. Our previous record, Causeway Army had been very mechanical and anti-social. We had also just moved to a new studio and there was nothing in the refrigerator but energy drinks…

 
Ming & Ping is mostly a continuous music mix, with each track bleeding into the next to tell a story of our life’s journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco to Los Angeles. We were inspired by Cut/Copy‘s record In Ghost Colours because it felt like a brilliant musical journey. We decided to name the record simply Ming & Ping because we feel that everybody who has been part of our journey makes Ming & Ping.

 
On this album, we felt quite like we were playing the songs rather than programming them. Our incredible drummer for live performances provided live drumming on most of the tracks. You can see a video about recording the drums with Jamie Can and Tim Wilson in our Spicy Show episodes. We also added some recordings from life and real percussion such as shakers, cabasa, and even a tibetan bells that you hear at the end of Vanilla. Of course, we mess with everything digitally afterward as well.
 

 
We borrowed some equipment for the songs, including a Roland RE-201 Space Echo tape delay machine from our friend Tim, who told us the machine once belonged to Billy Idol. Space Echo creates an echo or delay effect by recording your sound onto a bit of reel-to-reel tape – you can hear it on a couple tracks like After the End and Out of Mind and you can hear it in Spicy Show Episode 4.

 
In the beginning of Return to Zero, you can hear Ping complaining about starting the clap before he came in the room. This was actually one of the last songs we made for the record, despite it appearing first. Bridge & Tunnel includes a field recording that we made during our holiday to Hong Kong. You can hear some old trucks and street merchants with their tiny radio, placing the song in a nice environment. This song is a bit different than most of our songs because it does not have regular verse/chorus type of structure. Instead we constructed the song with a beginning, middle, and end.

 
After the End also has some field recording of us being in the lift, going to a roof full of one zillion creepy pigeons. You might hear Ping say “Smell is awful. We’re going to die.” This gave us the idea for the lyric “We will never die.” Jamie Can’s drumming is just brilliant in this recording. The song has a pulsing synth bass line and quite a bit of energy. We thought it would be nice to merge it with the exciting, flirtatious energy of Love Etc. The title for Love Etc. was borrowed from a Pet Shop Boys song that we like. These are some of our favorite lyrics in the album.
 

 
Fine and Vanilla also have a similar optimistic feeling. In Fine, you can hear some khartals, which are Indian tambourines that our friend Carina brought from India. You can also hear our friend Ngoc and her ghetto mobile phone at the end. We thought it was an interesting sound and we quite like the giggling appropriately leading into the song Vanilla. You can hear those Tibetan bells phasing at the end of the song – and we looped a backward version of the bell to create a mirror image, leading into the next track, Halo. Halo is quite a nice song that talks about taking chances and not following the rules all the time. At the end you can hear a cabasa played by rolling the instrument from the shoulder all the way down passed fingertips, creating a dramatic splashing sound.

 
Out of Mind was a track that has mostly vocals by Ping. In fact, Ping wrote most of the song. When Ming’s vocals finally come in, we wanted to make it feel very disturbing and supernatural so we recorded Ming very close to the microphone a couple of times. Then we put one Ming on the left speaker and one Ming on right speaker so that the same vocal part phases a bit.

 
Mixed Melodies has a similar tone and features very gentle guest vocals by our friend Mariqueen. Mariqueen actually recorded her vocal part while traveling in Europe with Nine Inch Nails and sent to us by email. We titled the song after a mixtape given to us by our friend Melodie Gore. The lo-fi drum samples in this song served as inspiration for our Darkness of Night EP.
 

 
Secret Land is a very interesting cover song because it’s a cover of a cover, each time the lyrics were rewritten. Original version was a German song called “Trenchcoat Man” by Fabrique in 1987. Then all the lyrics were rewritten as “Secret Land” for an artist called Sandra in 1988. When we covered the song twenty year later, we kept the incredible Fabrique synth bass line and most of the music from the Sandra version, but we rewrote the lyrics for the verses. It took over six weeks for our friend Dan Coleman to negotiate with Sony Music for the rights to release the song, since we had changed much of the lyrics. In the end, Sony allowed us to release the track on our record but we would not get any credit for the words we wrote to the song. We quite like how this track bleeds into the final track of the record using the very fast synth bass.

 
HK/SF/LA is a wonderful song to wrap up our musical journey. The constant fast synth bass inspired us to add a long, silent gap before the song gets going because we wanted to interrupt the comfort a bit. When we play this song live, people think the sound system failed. We quite like that. We didn’t record live drums for this track, but we used some samples of live cymbals that we recorded in Santa Barbara with Jamie Can.
 
 
As we were finishing up the songs, we and our creative director Bao Vo began planning for the artwork and packaging.

 

Artwork

The artwork for Ming & Ping was inspired by old medicine packages from Hong Kong. We wanted to create packaging that would seem a bit aged and natural, but still very intricate and industrial. Bao made a small sketch based on a photo of the X-Files stars that appeared on US Magazine cover, where Gillian Anderson is licking David Duchovny’s face while he looks completely unaffected. The idea was that we are Ming & Ping, we’ve traveled far together, and we will never die.

 
We began to work with photographer Julie Klima to plan the photo shoot while Bao worked with designer Melissa Bergen to design the album cover. The photo shoot took a few weeks to organize and was shot digitally at Julie’s studio. We did a few different shots based on several sketches that Bao drew, but ended up using the original idea of face licking. Ping’s face tastes like bubble gum.

 
Meanwhile, Bao and Melissa produced many versions of the album cover. They had assembled a collection of Chinese medicine packages and examined how the ink was layered on in a slightly imperfect way. They also sketched versions of the intricate etching patterns that made up the package artwork. Finally, a set of designs was completed and used in the album cover and many pieces of promotional materials.

 
Read about our designer Melissa Bergen and her process behind the album.

 
Once the CD’s were produced, we also created a custom stamper and many of our friends helped to stamp loads of black circle stickers to create the black seal on each CD. The record artwork and package turned out beautifully.

 

Promotion & Video

We did many fun things to promote this record. Some new merch items were created during this time including Ming & Ping baby dolls, arm bands, a new “Dynasty” poster, and the Spicy Sex Monkey fragrance which has a very cool commercial. We launched the Red Envelope Festival as a way to preorder the record and support us with donations. Those lovely people who donated received a lovely pre-order certificate and a special version of the album with a black-on-black sleeve, inside a linen fabric bag.

 
We also sent a pretty press kit including the album to many radio stations, blogs, and publications with the help of our friend Taylor Shechet. After this, we fell on the ground and finally slept. But not long after, we went on the Ming & Ping Spicy Tour to promote the album and it was better than sleep.

 
We created a music video for the track Bridge & Tunnel using footage from karaoke party at All Star Lanes in Eagle Rock, CA. We threw a spicy karaoke party with some good friends and asked everyone to bring their video recorders, then cut the footage from six different cameras into an exciting music video. We also decided to add some stop-motion footage that Bao had shot in downtown LA. We’re very lucky to have some excellent friends everywhere we go. This is the journey that the album was written about. <3  

 

Lyrics

[toggle title_open=”1. Return to Zero” title_closed=”1. Return to Zero” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Return to Zero

Your life is simple, isn’t it?
But, it’s all the people who complicated it
And all these signals wasted
Someday when all these levels start to fall

 
Your words are so elated
But,your voice can’t seem to recreate it
Your hands keep holding on to it
Well,someday we’ll all return to zero

 
All your wasted love
All your wasted love
All your wasted love
All your wasted love

 
Your life is simply magical
But, it’s all the people who make you doubtful
Your glass is always half full
But, someday you’ll learn to let it overflow

 
All your wasted love
All your wasted love
All your wasted love
All your wasted love

 
You wake to make the same mistakes, Now don’t you?
You sleep to dream your dreams awake, Now don’t you?

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[toggle title_open=”2. Strangers” title_closed=”2. Strangers” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Strangers

In all it’s been quite a time since we were strangers
In all these places we’ve travelled, still we are strangers
Ooh ooh ooh

 
Stay, don’t let this city slip away
Say, you’ll never see me slip away

 
After the noise dies down all your opinions drown
And in the quiet dawn where your name has gone
And you forget the sound of your voice somehow
There’s still the both of us now, we’ll make it out somehow

 
Stay, don’t let this city slip away
Say, tell me you’ll never slip away
Stay, don’t let this city slip away
Say, you’ll never see me slip away

 
In all it’s been quite a time, still we are strangers
In all the places we’ve gone, still we are one

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[toggle title_open=”3. Bridge & Tunnel” title_closed=”3. Bridge & Tunnel” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Bridge & Tunnel

Take me to the other side of town
I swear I’ve lost my mind
I just want another couple drinks
By then I might feel fine
You know I love living city lives
Our voices lost at night
Drowned in a sea of lights
You never trust your mind

 
Take me to a place I’ve never been
A new language I can’t speak
A new face that I have never seen
A new promise I can’t keep
You don’t know the people we became
How we forget our names
Passed by and never seen again
How we’ve become the same

 
Just pull me to the side, don’t tell me what I want to hear
There’s all these people going by, and I’m right here
I need you by my side, don’t tell me what I want to hear
There’s are all these staring eyes, but I want you

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[toggle title_open=”4. After the End” title_closed=”4. After the End” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

After the End

We reach orbit, insular in space
Our thoughts sever, intent on intake
We stretch outward, entry to intrigue
We face downward, in silence and sound
You dream awake, so cover your eyes
We fall awake, so cover your eyes

 
Save me from our fall(you said,you said)
Take me from it all(you said,you said)
Save me from our fall(you said,you said)
Take me from it all

 
The lights streak, the world dies, the birds fly
The dark city lights up the night sky
You dream awake, so cover your eyes
We fall awake, so cover your eyes

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[toggle title_open=”5. Love Etc.” title_closed=”5. Love Etc.” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Love Etc.

The sky is silver gray
Without a word to say (ay ay ay hay)
It’s been a million days
Without a word to say (ay ay ay hay)

 
I watch the trains move by without you
While all the ashes fly about you

 
You can fall apart or you can fall in love
You can disengage from all of us
You can fade away or you can fall in love
You can live your life in love

 
You draw a little black heart in the sky
You gather what you know
And what you’ve never tried
These feathers take the place
Of the bruises you wear on your face
They drive you far away from this place

 
You can fall apart or you can fall in love
You can disengage from all of us
You can fade away or you can fall in love
You can live your life in love

 
You like the spot light, driving through the red lights
Cry, baby cover your eyes, I don’t care to feel right
All the white lights, blasting through your headlights,
I don’t care where you drive, just deliver me

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[toggle title_open=”6. Fine” title_closed=”6. Fine” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Fine

You like to drive alone at night to try to kill your time
Just try to leave it for a while, this time you’ll really do it
You know the faster that you drive, the slower that you die
You’d love to throw away your mind, you’d love to really lose it
You know the city never lies unless you want her to
Just try to leave her for a while, this time you’ll really do it
You know you’ll never change your mind ’till she allows you to
You’d love to leave her all behind, you’d love to really lose her

 
T-t-t-take me out, ch-ch-ch-change my mind
T-t-t-talk aloud, I swear I’m feeling fine
(So let’s forget about it)

 
You like to walk the street alone to prove you’re worth the words you write
Just try to leave it for a while, this time you’ll really do it
The spaces all around you frame your sorry state of mind
You’d love to throw away your mind, you’d love to really lose it
You know these windows and these doors all wait to release you
Just try to leave it for a while, let’s just forget about it
You know the things you’re looking for are all searching for you too
You’d love to throw it all away, let’s just forget about it

 
T-t-t-take me out, ch-ch-ch-change my mind
T-t-t-talk aloud, I swear I’m feeling fine
(So let’s forget about it)

 
T-t-t-take me out, ch-ch-ch-change my mind
T-t-t-talk aloud, I swear I’m feeling fine
(So let’s just all forget about it)

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[toggle title_open=”7. Vanilla” title_closed=”7. Vanilla” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Vanilla

Speak, cus I like the way your mouth moves
Cus I love the way they glisten
But I hardly ever listen
Speak, cus you think that I’m a nice boy
Cus you think that I’m your new toy
Cus you love to hear your own voice

 
You’re much too kind
You’re much too kind

 
Speak, cus I’d like to get to know you
But I probably wouldn’t like you
So just tell me what you’d like to

Speak, cus you like to know your lines well
Cus you know your pretty smile sells
All the secrets that your eyes tell

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[toggle title_open=”8. Halo” title_closed=”8. Halo” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Halo

All those mistakes you never made
All of the words you never said
All of those straight lines that you drew instead
All of the words you never said

 
You think twice, you think twice, you live, you die

 
All of your solemn wishful eyes
All of the times you compromised
All of lives you lived vicariously
All of the lives you lived and died

 
It’s easy to be alive
It’s easy to close your eyes
It’s easy to live a perfect life
It’s easy to think you’re right (but you)

 
You think twice, you think twice, you live, you die

 
All in all, you were right
After all, you never know
All in all, you were right
But you never tried
To be wrong
No, you never tried

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[toggle title_open=”9. Out of Mind” title_closed=”9. Out of Mind” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Out of Mind

Street sounds like an ocean from an empty parking lot
It’s quiet all around you until you start to talk
Words like falling bodies I still hear them drop
Heaven is a vision ‘cus life is all we’ve got

 
Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind

 
Your face is brilliant
(I want the world to never end tonight)
Your eyes are magic
(I want to take in every breathe you sigh)
Our world keeps spinning
(I want this song to never end tonight)
Our lives are tragic
(I want this song to never end tonight…)

 
Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind

 
You watch the tide rise
(with the fear in your eyes)
Your arms are stretched wide
(you let the light inside)
Forget the storyline
(you’ve made up your mind)
You watch the doves fly
(you’ve waited all your life)

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[toggle title_open=”10. Mixed Melodies (ft. Mariqueen)” title_closed=”10. Mixed Melodies (ft. Mariqueen)” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Mixed Melodies (ft. Mariqueen)

I was alone while you were crying
Falling over everything (that we’d said)
I was a bird blown by the ocean
You were the cage to trap me in (keep me safe)
I said a lot I can’t unsay
About you (it’s all true)
Now that I know how people change
Me into me and you (into you)

 
Oh love, how there’s a part of me
That says to stay (cus you’re there)
Oh love, how there’s a part of me
Thinks another way (I’m just scared)

 
It’s like the sun that’s blinded me,
It’s like the mix of melodies (that I sing)
It’s like a random certainty
It’s like a wave that swallows me (I’m drowning)

 
Oh love, how there’s a part of me
That says to stay (cus you’re there)
Oh love, how there’s a part of me
That thinks another way (I’m just scared)

 
I spin these lines of fact and fiction
To prove myself again to you (all this time)
And how I climb these contradictions
Just to arrive again to you (first in line)
And how I climb these contradictions
Just to arrive again to you (first in line)

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[toggle title_open=”11. Secret Land” title_closed=”11. Secret Land” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

Secret Land

Nobody knows who I am
Maybe you would understand
Anybody knows what I am
Only in a secret land

 
Nobody knows how Itry
Not to tell another lie
Anybody knows in the end
I’ll find a secret land

 
This silent song dissolves a stagnant cityscape
In silver grey, I wish I could recall your face
I spell your name with thoughtful eyes
And hold my arms up to the sky, Oh how I wish I could take flight

 
In a quiet place (in a quiet place)
I hear your voice again
In a quiet place (in a quiet place)
In a quiet place

 
Nobody knows who I am
Maybe you would understand
Anybody knows what I am
Only in a secret land

 
Nobody knows how I try
Not to tell another lie
Anybody knows in the end
I’ll find a secret land

 
In a quiet place (in a quiet place)
I hear your voice again
In a quiet place (in a quiet place)
In a quiet place

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[toggle title_open=”12. HK/SF/LA” title_closed=”12. HK/SF/LA” hide=”yes” include_excerpt_html=”yes”]

HK/SF/LA

It’s a beautiful world,and you’re a beautiful mess
Flowing like a stream of consciousness, broken
It’s a beautiful view, from your beautiful eyes
Filtered through a kaleidoscopic mind, broken
Broken

 
Who do you think you are?
Who are you supposed to be?
Who do you think you are?
Who are you supposed to be?

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