Welcome to Squidco!
Edit Your Shopping Cart

   Squidco Home
   About Squidco
   My Account
      Log Out
   Checkout

   Artist List
   Label List
   eMail List
   Rewards
   Staff Picks
   Current Email Update
   Used Albums
   Top Sellers
   Gift Certificates
   The Squidco Blog
   Contact Us

Release Formats    ∇
Featured Genres    ∇
Instrumental Forms    ∇
Orchestration    ∇
Miscellaneous    ∇




The Squid's Ear Magazine

Dan, Lao
To Hit a Pressure Point

Dan, Lao: To Hit a Pressure Point (Relative Pitch)

Recorded solo in Hangzhou, China, saxophonist and suona player Lao Dan merges Chinese folk motifs with the raw energy of punk, the spontaneity of free jazz, and the abrasiveness of noise and rock forms, creating a fiercely expressive and unpredictable improvisational landscape driven by aesthetic tension and fearless experimentation.
 

Price: $13.95

Quantity:

In Stock
Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 3.00 units

EU & UK Customers:
Discogs.com can handle your VAT payments
So please order through Discogs

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Lao Dan-tenor saxophone, Suona, Effects


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.



UPC: 5904224874209

Label: Relative Pitch
Catalog ID: RPRSS045
Squidco Product Code: 36211

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: USA
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded in Hangzhou, China, in August, 2024.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Lao Dan's innovative approach to music seamlessly intertwines elements of rock, free jazz, and noise with textures of Chinese folk music, creating a unique tapestry characterized by improvisational and aesthetic tension. His fearless transgression of genres, infusing Chinese folk-tinged free jazz with the raw energy of punk, results in a compelling and dynamic listening experience."-Relative

"Lao Dan's innovative approach to music seamlessly intertwines elements of rock, free jazz, and noise with textures of Chinese folk music, creating a unique tapestry characterized by improvisational and aesthetic tension. His fearless transgression of genres, infusing Chinese folk-tinged free jazz with the raw energy of punk, results in a compelling and dynamic listening experience."-Relative Pitch



Lao Dan's To Hit a Pressure Point is a bold, genre-smashing solo album that fuses free jazz roots with punk attitude, rock dynamism, and the lyrical inflection of Chinese folk music. Recorded in Hangzhou in August 2024, the album places Dan's tenor saxophone and traditional suona in collision with scrubbing effects and raw texture, crafting an improvisational soundscape that seethes with aesthetic tension.

What makes this recording distinctive is its fearless refusal to remain within any single style. Lao Dan navigates rapid-fire punk energy, sharp-edged noise, and spontaneous jazz improvisation-all threaded together by the haunting timbres of his Chinese heritage instruments. Moments unfold unpredictably: a folk melody might be swallowed by abrasive noise, only to re-emerge in a delicate improvisational passage.


Artist Biographies

"Lao Dan was born in Chinese border city Dandong in 1987. He started on Saxophone when he was 8 and took up Chinese flute in 14 when he began majored in Chinese classical music.Lao Dan decided to make flute his primary instrument when he attended ShenYang Conservatory of Music in 2007. There he focus on playing Chinese traditional music ranging from Chinese ancient music, Wuju opera, Northern Shaanxi folk music to Local Opera. At the same time, he also involved in researching Chinese modern national music.

World music caught his ears in 2011 and he turned to the study and practice of it. Dan not only embraced Indian Bansuri, Turkish kaval, but also absorbed them into his personal style. He is skillful in changing the traditional way to play Chinese flute. It can be seen from the music of Xiban that gave a glimpse of his unique improvisational ability.

He was enchanted by Jazz since he recognized and cooperated with many jazz musicians in Shanghai. It made a big difference in his performance style when he combined Voice, Chinese Suona, Bamboo Sax, Didgeridoo, Duduk, Jaw Harp with effect pedal, which rendered his music a kaleidoscope of color. Dan jointed with Xing and Yu in Red Scarf in 2013 showed his passionate willingness in the region/ area of Experimental, Free Improvisation."

-Lao Dan Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/dan.lao.79)
7/15/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Ah O 13:50

2. Klippe 3:53

3. Perpetual Motion Machine 3:55

4. To Hit A Pressure Point 2:28

5. The Fate Of Lee Khan 1 2:46

6. The Fate Of Lee Khan 2 2:23

7. The Fate Of Lee Khan 3 4:18

8. Silver Needle 3:33

9. Fire Swamp 8:37

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
Electro-Acoustic
Electro-Acoustic Improv
Asian Improvisation & Jazz
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
Solo Artist Recordings
New in Improvised Music
Recent Releases and Best Sellers

Search for other titles on the label:
Relative Pitch.

Recommended & Related Releases:
Sanchez, Paula
Pressure Sensitive
(Relative Pitch)
Recorded in Switzerland in 2021, Argentinian cellist and interdisciplinary artist Paula Sanchez pushes the cello to its sonic limits through six radical performances that merge acoustic and processed sound, combining cello, cellophane, and ring modulation to evoke a visceral, poetic, and at times merciless exploration of embodied sound and ephemeral transformation.
Escaleira, Ravenna
Vagabondage
(Relative Pitch)
Portuguese saxophonist Ravenna Escaleira's rugged and deeply personal solo album layers saxophone, electric bass, and piano into four urgent, uncompromising pieces shaped by her wandering relationship with Lisbon, blending raw noise, deep lyricism, and powerful emotional intensity as she transforms personal history and urban experience into vivid, layered sound.
Kawashima, Makoto
arteria
(Relative Pitch)
A wild solo performance recorded at GOKsound in Tokyo by Japanese alto saxophonist Makoto Kawashima, whose intense and introspective improvisations balance fierce tonal expression with fragile silences, drawing from the lineage of Abe and Shiraishi while establishing his own haunting and highly individual voice in the realm of free improvisation.
Cimini, Amy
See You When I Get There
(Relative Pitch)
The first solo album from West Coast violist Amy Cimini, blending amplified distortion, percussive textures, and spacious effects into a deeply personal and genre-blurring performance that channels experimental noise, tuneful abstraction, and the spirit of feminist rock and protest music into a resonant and evocative sonic journey.
MARANATA (Wesseltoft / Stiberg / Escalante)
Ugly Euphoria
(Relative Pitch)
An album of brutal improvisation in the Borbetomagus mold as the longstanding Maranata duo of Dag Stiberg on alto and baritone saxophones and Jon Wesseltoft on electronics join forces with Mexican saxophonist Martín Escalante, creating an unrelenting sonic assault of frenzied saxophone interplay and harsh electronics, fueled by a visceral intensity and high-pressure chaotic energy.
Trance Map (Evan Parker / Matthew Wright)
Horizons Held Close
(Relative Pitch)
Returning to the duo format that launched their series, Evan Parker on soprano saxophone and Matthew Wright on turntables with live processing and sound design deliver two studio improvisations from Ramsgate, UK, with Wright transforming Parker's virtuosity through layers of electronic interaction, crafting a dynamic and intricate virtual symphony of technique and intent.
Lauro, Audrey
Prose Metallique
(Relative Pitch)
Versed in jazz and contemporary composed music, Belgian alto saxophonist Audrey Lauro embarks on a solo journey with seven saxophone improvisations, using 'everyday objects' to prepare her instrument and close-microphone placement to create an intimate sound space, exploring 'the area where voice and instrument converge'.
ONCEIM (Orchestre de Nouvelles Creations, Experimentations et Improvisations Musicales
Laminaire
(Relative Pitch)
ONCEIM is the French ensemble of over 30 distinguished musicians directed by Frédéric Blondy, drawing on jazz, free improv, experimental and contemporary music as they evolve impressively detailed works from subtle restraint to controlled swells, heard in live performances from 2018 at Eglise Saint-Merry in Paris and at La Muse en Circuit in 2020, plus a 3rd studio session from 2020.
Hubbub (Blondy / Denzler / Guionnet / Mariage / Perraud)
abb abb abb
(Relative Pitch)
With prior albums on For4Ears and Matchless, the French electroacoustic (with an emphasis on "acoustic") free improvising quartet Hubbub of Frédéric Blondy (piano), Bertrand Denzler (tenor sax), Jean-Luc Guionnet (alto sax), Jean-Sébastien Mariage (guitar), and Edward Peraud (percussion) present two extended, perfectly paced improvisations of stunning interplay and incredible technique.
Mayas, Magda Filamental (Mayas / Abdelnour / Caddy / Davies / Davies / Mayaas / Parks / Theriot-Ramos / Thieke)
Ritual Mechanics
(Relative Pitch)
The 2nd release from Magda Mayas' Filamental octet of Mayas, Zeena Parkins, Michel Thieke, Christine Abdelnour, Angharad Davies, Rhodri Davies, Aimée Theriot and Anthea Caddy, is a fascinating studio composition developed from individual recordings provided by each musician, assembled into two detailed and cohesive works of impressive contours and almost ceremonial beauty.
Glass Triangle (Zeena Parkins / Rasmussen / Sawyer)
Blue and Sun-lights
(Relative Pitch)
Recorded after a three-day series of concerts at New York City's venue The Stone, the trio of Zeena Parkins on electric harp & objects, Mette Rasmussen on saxophone, objects & voice and Ryan Sawyer on drums & objects brought their dynamic and far-ranging approach to collective free improv into Brooklyn's Figure 8 studio to capture these 10 extraordinary recordings.
Melting Mind (Genta / Mazzani / Vanzan / Poggi)
At Grnd Zero
(Relative Pitch)
A brutal and complex concert of processed sopranino saxophone, electric guitar and electronics from the long-running Italian quartet Melting Mind of Virginia Genta, Michele Mazzani, David Vanzan and Matteo Poggi, recorded during a 2019 tour of France at Grnd Zero in Lyon, a 33 minute performance of thick noise & feedback layered with inexplicable detail.
Foster, Michael
The Industrious Tongue
(Relative Pitch)
It's not just the tongue that drives these compellingly irascible and unexpected sounds from the saxophone, augmented at times by samples and oscillators, as NY saxophonist Michael Foster applies technique beyond extended to a tenor and soprano saxophone, in two multi-part works of solo utterance: "Libidinal Fragments" in seven parts, and "Celluloid Nightmares" in two.
Lee, Robbie
Prismatist
(Relative Pitch)
With a history of both improvisation and rock, NY saxophonist and sound artist (Creature Automatic, Love As Laughter) concentrates on the sopranino saxophone in this solo album, performing acoustic feats of impressive technical skill, and on many tracks performing with tuning forks and live electronics, sequenced in a compelling journey of contrasts and wonder.
Lopez, Brandon Trio
Live at Roulette
(Relative Pitch)
Calling his music jazz and not jazz, bassist Brandon Lopez demands of his listeners to dance, as the quartet of Lopez, Steve Baczkowski on saxophones, Gerald Cleaver on percussion and Cecilia Lopez on synthesizer are heard in this energetic live concert at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, blurring free jazz with experimental sound that never loses its strong grooves.
Brotzmann, Peter / Lonberg-Holm, Fred
Memories Of A Tunicate
(Relative Pitch)
While both improvisers were in New York City for the 2019 Vision Festival, multi-reedist and European Free Improv legend Peter Brötzmann met Chicago cellist and electronics artist Fred Lonberg-Holm to record their 3rd album together, their 1st album in the studio a diverse set of incredible concentration, with Brötzmann performing on tenor saxophone, woodwind, and clarinet.
Various Artists: Lao Dan / Rick Countryman / Colin Webster
Saxophone Anatomy
(Armageddon Nova)
Saxophone solo improvisation omnibus by three free saxophonists from around the globe: Lao Dan from China recording in an underground bomb shelter in an agressive solo performance; US ex-pat Rick Countryman from the Philippines in a traditional yet extremely free jazz exposition; and London's Colin Webster on baritone sax for an exploration of extended techniques.


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
Eneidi, Marco Quintet (w / Johnston / Finkbelner / Smith / Anderson)
Wheat Fields of Kleylehof
(Balance Point Acoustics)
A fiery and tightly woven 2004 quintet session led by alto saxophonist and composer Marco Eneidi, recorded before his move to Europe, with trumpeter Darren Johnston, guitarist John Finkbeiner, bassist Damon Smith, and drummer Vijay Anderson performing dynamic, sharply articulated compositions that balance exuberant improvisation with finely honed structure.
Kimura, Izumi / Lina Andonovska / Dominique Pifarely
Seven Dreams
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Recorded live at Dublin's National Concert Hall, the trio of Izumi Kimura (piano), Lina Andonovska (flutes), and Dominique Pifarély (violin) weave a poetic and deeply intuitive improvisational performance, blending extended techniques and refined sensitivity into a dreamlike suite of tactile, intimate, and emotionally resonant sound worlds.
Lava Quartet feat. Almut Kuhne / Jordina Milla / Goncalo Almeida / Wieland Moller
Ethereal Chant
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
The debut from the international Lava Quartet — Almut Kühne (voice), Jordina Milla (piano), Gonçalo Almeida (bass), and Wieland Möller (percussion) — capturing the ensemble's dynamic interplay and fearless improvisation across two European venues, blending extended techniques, expressive freedom, and unconventional sonic textures in a deeply creative and spontaneous journey.
Bristle (McKean / Wright / Campbell / Mezzacappa)
Archimera
(Queen Bee Records)
Ten years after their last release, Northern CaliforniaÕs Bristle returns with a richly inventive chamber jazz album blending virtuosic improvisation and playful composition, as saxophonists Randy McKean and Cory Wright join violinist/oboist Murray Campbell and bassist Lisa Mezzacappa in a dynamic, Threadgill-esque ensemble sound full of counterpoint, wit, and imaginative sonic twists.
Herzog / Muche / Nillesen
Anasynthesi
(thanatosis produktion)
Exploring the dissolution of musical form through extended techniques and microtonal interplay, and guided by the Greek concept of anasýnthesi (ἀνασύνθεσις) — meaning "recomposition" or "reconstruction" — the Cologne-based trio of Constantin Herzog (double bass), Matthias Muche (trombone), and Etienne Nillesen (snare drum) presents an immersive piece shaped by emergent sonic phenomena and a constantly shifting balance of resonance, friction, and form.
Bromander, Vilhelm Unfolding Orchestra
Jorden Vi Arvde [VINYL]
(thanatosis produktion)
A stunning second album from Swedish bassist and composer Vilhelm Bromander's Unfolding Orchestra, expanding on his acclaimed debut with richly textured, spiritually resonant compositions inspired by political urgency and environmental reflection, featuring a 13-piece ensemble delivering lush orchestrations, patient development, and profound, hopeful expression.
Various Artists
Archipelago
(Bathysphere Records)
A benefit compilation in support of marine restoration through ORAI, this diverse collection features 13 experimental and ambient works — including evocative soundscapes by Scott Solter, Cristina Cano, and others — each track a donation from artists celebrating the seaÕs mystery, fragility, and power through deeply personal sonic reflections.
Le Vice Anglais (Pires / Parrinha)
vas-y
(4DaRecord)
A fiercely expressive debut from Portuguese duo Ricardo Guerra Pires and Bruno Parrinha, blending electric guitar, alto saxophone, subtle electronics, and noise-infused improvisation into a raw yet controlled exploration of sonic extremes, channeling the spirit of free jazz, punk energy, and avant-garde texture into six powerful and provocative pieces.
Mira Trio (Furioso / Mira / Gibson)
Machinerie
(4DaRecord)
Blending cellist Miguel Mira's structural premeditation with the spontaneity of free improvisation, the trio of Mira, saxophonist Yedo Gibson, and drummer Felice Furioso crafts a richly textural and architectonically inspired session, recorded in Lisbon, where extended techniques and expressive interplay shape a dynamic sonic vision of figurative expressionism in sound.




The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC

New In:
Recent Releases
Improvisation
Electro/Experimental
Compositional
Rock & Related