THE CONFETTI’S - “C IN CHINA”
New Wave music is full of Orientalism, some of it more respectful than other instances. On one end we can situate someone like David Sylvian of the aptly-named Japan, who went as far as incorporating traditional Asian instruments into his music, and collaborating with the great Sakamoto Ryuichi of Yellow Magic Orchestra, whose outsized influence is a major reason artists looked to the East in the first place. On the other is, quite frankly, the Confettis’ catchy but ultimately embarrassing “C in China,” which tarnishes a hooky club number that feels like it’s going somewhere with some truly frightful “yellowface” chattering. The clunky synth beats are dated in a delightful manner, but the bald-faced, rice-and-rickshaws racism, while never cool in the first place, is woefully off-putting to any modern listener. (At least, I hope so.) It’s a blast from the past in kind of a bad way, and a hearty reminder that as much as the past may have had good music, a lot of things about living then really weren’t so hot.
The Confetti’s were a Belgian “New Beat” act at the centre of that country’s club scene. Not unlike how Britain’s New Romantic scene coalesced around London’s Blitz Club, spurred in part by Visage, the musical side project of said club’s promoter Steve Strange and DJ Rusty Egan, the “Confetti’s” were a music act created to promote the Antwerp nightclub Confetti’s. Their conspicuous naval-uniformed frontman, Peter Renkens, was a popular server at the club and apparently much beloved by its guests. (He’s probably the second most famous barman in electronic music, behind the guy who shouts “Korrekt!” on Kraftwerk’s “Das Modell,” who was well-liked at their preferred hangout in Cologne. Apparently, that was kind of his catchphrase.) Perhaps being based out of Belgium led them to have a bit less perspective on racial issues? At any rate, most of their music is cheesy fun, and very enjoyable early house. For something a little less problematic, I recommend their biggest success, “The Sound of C…”
