Swing with Taipei's nouveau hipsters for a special one-off concert in the capital

Popular nine-piece conceptual dance act, Swingjack, will be stepping out at Taipei's Zhongshan Hall (中山堂中正廳) this evening for a special one-off gig that will see the bulky combo performing a set packed with a selection of tunes from its numerous releases.

Heavily influenced by acts such as Saint Etienne, Pizzicato Five and alternative dance-pop pioneers Stereolab, Swingjack has built up a large following amongst the nation's lounge lizard hipsters since it was formed early last year by John (王繼康) and Ping -- two ex-music business buddies who were disenchanted by the rather drib-drab local dance scene.

Like many a band formed by former music business types, Swingjack is an intangible mish-mash of ideas and concepts rather than simply a band. The combo's post acid-house dance-styled art-rock esthetics incorporate elements of Mando-pop, dance-pop, jazz, funk, bossa nova, lounge-pop and movie soundtrack as well as 1970s disco.

The result of this rather over-the-top recipe enables Swingjack to brew up a heap of well-rounded hypnotic looped rhythms, all of which are overlaid with melodic, at times moody, yet always mesmerizing singsong vocals.

An independent record label as well as a musical entity, Swingjack has released four albums in its "Projects" series as well as its Super Projeck (絕妙境地) since last September. While it veered away from its popular pop/dance format for Super Projeck and concocted a more acid-jazz and funk oriented album, its most recent project, Swingjack Project Level IV -- which hit record store shelves this summer -- sees the combo returning to its sub-pop/dance oriented roots.

The album kicks serious dance and lounge butt. Integrating a string section, guitars, percussion and

electronica with a host of hooks and loops, Swingjack's latest Projectmakes for great aural pleasure from the very beginning.

The sound is so distant from anything else Taiwan has to offer, in fact, that if it wasn't for the combo's independent musical stance, then its self-penned, well-layered and light melodies would no doubt be receiving the acclaim they so richly deserve.

Sadly, however, Swingjack has yet to make a dent in either the local mainstream pop charts or gain mention at any one of half-a-dozen local music award ceremonies.

Swingjack performs at Zhongshan Hall (中山堂中正廳) at 7:30pm tonight, 98 Yenping S Rd (台北市延平南路98號). Tickets cost NT$100 and are available from branches of Rose and Tower records or at the door.