Soulstep Highland, Dreams Behind the Door
The image remains vivid in my memory. It felt like a door opening—someone stepping through it and slowly drifting into a dream.
With the release of A Few Sparks, each member of Hupo has chosen a favorite track from the album and shared a personal note on its creation.
The first entry comes from drummer Li Guanyu, who selected "Soulstep Highland." Scroll down to read. Which songs will the other four members choose?
Soulstep Highland Notes from Li Guanyu
The initial spark for "Soulstep Highland" came from a relaxed arpeggiated guitar progression written by Yan Shuai. It immediately brought me back to my university days, when my roommate would sit in the dormitory playing simple acoustic guitar patterns. The image remains vivid in my memory. It felt like a door opening—someone stepping through it and slowly drifting into a dream.
So many years have passed since then. People change, circumstances change. I feel fortunate that I still have a band, and grateful for everyone who has ever shared a stage, a rehearsal room, or a piece of music with us. Life is a long road, and each person can only walk part of it together.
The song developed naturally. None of the additional parts were carefully plotted, and there was no deliberate attempt to create dramatic twists or climaxes. During the live studio recording sessions, we remained in a semi-improvised state. I experimented with different brushes, rods, and sticks on the drum kit, playing as quietly as possible, listening closely to every sound crossing paths with another—sometimes moving together, sometimes drifting apart.
While recording, I could already hear other voices taking shape in my mind. It quickly became clear who should join the piece. I suggested inviting Yaofan to record flute, while Haide recommended vocalist Zhang Wanyi. Both musicians approached the session with the same relaxed, semi-improvised spirit, adding new perspectives and painterly textures to the soundscape of "Soulstep Highland."
People often say that music can preserve the atmosphere of a particular moment, capturing a fragment of time. When you listen again years later, it can take you back somewhere—or perhaps lead you toward a new hope. Find a quiet place, sit on a patch of grass, and spend some time with this piece. It might be one of the gentlest ways to be alone with yourself.
As for the title, it was suggested by our former bassist Huo Zhuozhi. It refers to the vast plateau north of the Wei River and beside the Jing River, known historically as Wulingyuan near present-day Xianyang.
Of the eleven emperors of the Western Han dynasty, nine were buried there. Five of their mausoleums—those of Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Hui, Emperor Jing, Emperor Wu, and Emperor Zhao—formed the famous "Five Mausoleums," a name that has echoed through Chinese history for more than two thousand years.
Perhaps it is simply our connection to the land we come from. Coincidentally, there were five members in the band at the time. The idea resonated naturally. We replaced the character for "five" with one meaning "dance." We cannot travel back through time, nor return to the past. So perhaps the best thing we can do is cherish the present moment—and dance within the music.
I hope you can spend some time with this song.
Maybe "Soulstep Highland" will help you let go of something. Maybe it will bring you back to a memory without the weight that once accompanied it. Or perhaps it will simply give you a little more strength to keep moving forward.
Hupo's new album A Few Sparks is now available on major streaming platforms worldwide.
The physical edition will be released on CD and double-colored vinyl. CDs are available beginning this week, while the vinyl edition arrives next week. Both formats will be available first at the band's ongoing release tour.
Upcoming Tour Dates
June 13 — Chengdu — Jah Bar June 14 — Xi'an — VeinLab Future Club June 18 — Wuhan — The Feedback June 19 — Guangzhou — OMNI SPACE Hall 2 June 20 — Shenzhen — MAO Livehouse (Sea World) June 21 — Xiamen — RealLive And Books June 24 — Yiwu — Gebi Bar June 25 — Hangzhou — 9 Club June 26 — Nanjing — 1701 Livehouse June 27 — Shanghai — New Song Space June 28 — Beijing — Fullof LIVEHOUSE
Completed
June 6 — Yinchuan — CiChang June 7 — Lanzhou — Daybreak Art Center
See you on the road.