WE CREATE IN TAIWAN

Writing up a storm

The apps that shape singer-songwriter Tseng Kuo-hung’s music journey.

Most bands have a definitive sound, but when it comes to the Taiwan–based Sunset Rollercoaster, it's difficult to narrow them down to one specific style. We spoke to the band’s frontman and vocalist Tseung Kyo-hung (Kuo Kuo) about the band’s musical inspirations, as well as the apps that helped them along on their road to international fame.

The band’s name was inspired by a photo they’d taken using the Rollercoaster effect in Mac’s Photo Booth. In the background was a magnificent, vibrant sunset.

This image perfectly encapsulates the kaleidoscopic style of their music: raw, energetic garage rock, romantic nostalgia and dreamy, psychedelic soundscapes.

All roads lead to music

“It’s like fate; I end up with music whatever I do. Making music has become a part of my life.”

Kuo Kuo first encountered western music when he went to church with his mother. Since then, he has channelled his creativity through different projects and formed Sunset Rollercoaster. But he did it all without giving much thought to the future.

After a five-year-long hiatus during which Kuo Kuo re-examined his musical influences, the band eventually arrived at a turning point. With a new line-up, the act shot to stardom with the album Jinjii Kikko, and their releases have won both critical and popular acclaim ever since.

“While working on Jinji Kikko, I thought, ‘This is a new beginning for the band, so maybe I should think further ahead this time.’ My plan stretched five years into the future, and I wanted to tour around the world. I write and sing in English, so I thought it’d be a good idea to venture outside of Taiwan. I never expected it to grow to become so... big,” Kuo Kuo admitted with a laugh.

Showing us the Master Tour app on his phone, Kuo Kuo told us how he used to play more than 100 shows every year.

He described the app as a “shared calendar for touring bands”. An international tour can easily last months, and the crew would upload important information such as itineraries, rehearsals and schedules for easy access. What was primarily a logistics tool at the time has now transformed into a valuable archive of the band’s musical journey throughout the years.

When music meets technology

When Kuo Kuo sits down to write music, he relies on technology to keep him company. He uses tuner, metronome and synthesiser apps daily, and can always find someone to practise with in TrueFire and iReal Pro. Using Notes and Voice Memos on his iPhone, he also manages to store a vast inventory of inspirations.

To develop a feel for the best way to craft his own lines, he turned to Genius, home to a community dedicated to the beauty of lyrics. He references keywords and takes note of common phrases and sentence structures, then incorporates Chinese linguistics structures into his English compositions. The results are original, inspired verses that are celebrated by fans the world over.

Going international

Sunset Rollercoaster’s success has drawn a lot of attention, and in recent years Kuo Kuo has been asked frequently about what young bands should do to go global.

“Even I am still in the process of figuring it out. Sure, writing songs in English can speed up the process, but there are other ways, like incorporating New Age and hip-hop elements into indigenous music for instance. Instrumental rock, like the music made by Elephant Gym, also has great potential,” Kuo Kuo says.

Ultimately, he thinks that it’s all about mindset. “As long as you don’t shy away from putting yourself out there, making friends and embracing the new and exciting, your music will be internationally understood.”