​Demonslayer coins VWave — ‘Vietnamese New Wave’ made in Little Saigon

VWave is here — let us explain.

When the words Vietnamese New Wave glanced back at me as I was getting lost in the barrage of information otherwise known as my inbox, it was one of those quirky moments of elation where I remember why I do what I do (not sure exactly what that is, but I just do) — I've got a lot of time for discovery.

The message was from an artist we’ve been tracking and chatting with for a few years, who’s mark on the Vietnamese arts and music scene quickly became a global export — those in the art world know him as Dan Nguyen, and those who follow his music know him as Demonslayer.

Not wasting time to tell us what to expect and what we needed to know, Demonslayer explains, “The umbrella term New Wave was given to the flourishing movement of artists, indie labels and studios who birthed a never before seen take on Viet-Am media. The songs themselves were diverse in genre, but favoured Eurodance, Italo disco and synth pop. The bilingual covers of Western hits made the music more accessible, spreading the sound far and wide, eventually reaching the shores of Vietnam.”

The recently migrated Vietnamese were enamoured by the extravagance and attitude of New Wave and alternative culture, and like many teens at the time, adopted into their lifestyle. Music and style unified people amidst high cultural sensitivity due to the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The sound and lifestyle lives on in various ways, and Vietnamese American media has continued to blossom in new directions.”

For this 7-track self-release, Demonslayer has packaged various edits of both Western and European cover songs, including Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’ and Madonna’s ‘La Isla Bonita’.

Describing his point of process, Demonslayer adds, “(These are) obscure, low res songs that I’ve been scouring the Earth for, both online and off, for the last 15 years. I boosted them and remastered them for club play.”

Have a listen below or grab your free copy here.