We’re heading up to Christmas and we’ve got the best festive tunes coming at ya. Although, by ‘festive’, we mean ‘awesome tracks from around Hong Kong and the region’. Stay tuned next issue for our top ten Hong Kong tracks of 2009.

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Twisterella Paradise
www.myspace.com/twisterella08
Mashing a bit of New Order, Cocteau Twins, and lo-fi rock pop together, this local dream-pop four-piece have been slowing building a following since their formation a year ago. This track is from their debut, three-track EP called One. Hear them play a handful of new tracks at the Fringe Club on Friday 18.

Mensheng Fallen Ballad
www.myspace.com/mensheng
What would an Asia music podcast be without a dose of emo-inspired metal scream? Formed in 2006, locally-based Mensheng have had a big 2009. They released their debut album entitled Twisted Sight this year and, in July, toured Taiwan for the first time to promote the album. They’ll be playing the Underground’s new offshoot night Underground Heavy on Saturday 19 at Rockschool.

The Hong Kong Mazerati
www.myspace.com/thehongkong
For obvious reasons, we couldn’t really not include this band out of Brooklyn in the podcast. The Hong Kong make beautifully fuzzy pop and their new album, Slow Motion Gets Around, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars, is a real winner.

Hedgehog All Tell Them I Love You
www.myspace.com/hedgehogcn
Beijing band Hedgehog are well known around the traps. This tune from their new album Blue Daydreaming mines those years of C86 UK indie pop. The Wedding Present and Primitives jump to mind when listening to this. The band are currently touring the US along with Queen Sea Big Shark and Casino Demon.

Aeroplane Ready For Love (Remix)
www.myspace.com/aeroplanemusiclove
Belgium, bizarrely, has a penchant for really changing the way we think about dance music. In the mid 90s it was Rotterdam label R&S Records’ take on Detroit. Then party DJs of the century 2 Many DJs turned up. And over the past year and a half, it’s been Aeroplane, comprising Stephen Fasano and Vito Deluca, who have re-defined that European /Ibiza sound.