Happy Lunar New Year! It’s time for people around the Asian continent to see in 2025 and embrace a new energy for the year. Also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, celebrations take place as Winter turns into Spring and traditions are observed to bring forth good fortune and happiness.
To help extend the vibes, we’ve searched our platform for the best shows to soundtrack the occasion, with a mix of popular and lesser known music and movements from years gone by. So, if you’re observing the Lunar New Year, sit back and enjoy!
Melodic Distraction – Between Corner & Margin: Chinese New Year Special With Yeti Wang
We’re still not over Melodic Distraction’s closure in 2023. But they gave us enough musical moments to last a few lifetimes. Including this dive into Asian music with DJ and vinyl savant Yeti Wang. He provides forgotten deep cuts and newer releases by musicians from across the continent. Be prepared to take notes of the music on show!
Aquarium Drunkard – Songs From The Water-Cabin Cave: A Lunar New Year Chinese Pop Mixtape
Los Angeles-based Aquarium Drunkard took it way back with their New Year celebration show. They unearth a collection of Chinese-language Pop songs from the 1960s and 1970s. It’s a really fun and eclectic peak into a bygone era of Chinese music history. Get your dancing shoes on for this one!
Belfield FM – Buzz Around China With Gergin – Chinese New Year
Belfield FM, based out of University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland, enlisted some professionals to educate us on the significance of the Lunar New Year. They’re joined by Dr. Yang, UCD’s Intercultural Development and Support Officer, and Daniel O’Sullivan, Senior Regional Manager and Recruitment Officer of UCD’s China market. They have an insightful conversation about the traditions linked with this time of year, with some beautiful music laced throughout.
Aleip – Chinese New Year
This mix by Aleip is full of cross-genre vibrations. It starts with ethereal Pop vocals, meanders through a Jazz-flavoured section, makes a pitstop at some rowdy Rock and ends with some incredibly addictive Funk. Talk about range!
NTS Radio – Throwing Shade – 28th January 2017
NTS Radio took it back to 2017 as London-based DJ and producer Throwing Shade gets creative. Sharing her own experiences of going to China, she shares field recordings from her time there, TV show theme tunes and an education on the origins of sounds made popular in the country. Throwing Shade does a great job of capturing the musical richness of China while honoring the people and places where it has thrived.
Midnight Runners – Munir Specials Chinese New Year At Kaum Jakarta
Things are heating up now. DJ Munir transmits Lunar New Year vibes from his base in Indonesia and it really puts us in a party mood. There’s Disco, Funk and everything in between, so if you’re painting the town red this year, press play!
Far Side Radio – Music For The Chinese New Year – 10th February 2016
Keeping with a retro feel, London-based Far Side Radio dug up music from around Asi for their soundtrack from 2016. You’ll find tunes from stars of the 1950s-1970s from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia. Plus modern remixes and cutting edge electronic sounds. A real history lesson.
DJ Tarry – 財神到 Chinese New Year’s Remix Collection
We have to thank DJ Tarry for giving us a mix we didn’t know we needed. The Hong Kong-based selector went a different route, showcasing a host of remixes of popular Chinese and Cantonese tunes, making for an upbeat and exciting bundle of joy.