Onra’s ‘Chinoiseries’ trilogy gets reissued on limited edition coloured vinyl
96 tracks of emotive soundscapes & blissful hip hop beats inspired by his record digs from Asia
Arnaud Antoine Rene Bernard aka Onra has compiled his Chinoiseries trilogy into a coloured vinyl reissue, available in red and black.
Once settled in Paris and recently moved to Bangkok, the German-born beatmaker who is also of Vietnamese descent is known for his “chopped up set of r'n'b laden beats and electronically produced experiments laced with influences spanning the globe”.
His unique sonic repertoire is manifested into three editions of Chinoiseries, which — as implied in the title (a French term referring to Chinese influences in art) — comprises snippets from Chinese and Vietnamese records he came across while travelling across Asia in 2006.
In true Onra fashion, he then integrated his findings with emotive, soulful beats that contribute to a refreshing approach towards traditional hip hop.
“As a vinyl junkie, I really couldn't come back to France without bringing back some wax. After hours spent riding on a motorbike in Saigon streets, a taxi finally helped me find some Asian records," he mentions about his first Chinoiseries release.
Ecstatic with his discovery of forgotten treasures in the form of 30 records, he went straight into production mode, challenging himself to create beats with material beyond his ken but near to his heart.
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I think this is the perfect soundtrack to any hip hop head going to Southeast Asia. It reflects all the different sides of those countries: Raw, sad, culturally rich, amusing, kitsch and romantic,” mentions Onra about the first release in 2007 — a statement that can surely be extended onto its future follow-ups in 2011 and 2017.
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Comprising a total of 96 tracks, the extensive compilation teems with choppy vocal samples, twanging string melodies, waves of both comfortably chill and optimistically upbeat percussions and more, intertwined with relaxingly rhythmic beats that get your head bopping, regardless of the brevity of each esoteric gem.
Purchase ‘Chinoiseries pt.1 & 2 & 3’ here.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
