Ming & Ping – Ming & Ping (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

August 9, 2009 by Dennis Amith 

“The fourth full-length album from Ming & Ping continues the duo’s electro-pop, retro new wave style of music.   Overall, a solid album by the twins and giving listeners a variety with the various types of musical tracks featured on the album.”

GROUP: Ming & Ping

ALBUM: Ming & Ping

LABEL:  bao vao creative inc.

DURATION: 52:15

RELEASE DATE: August 31, 2009

1. Return to Zero
2. Strangers
3. Bridge & Tunnel
4. After the End
5. Love Etc.
6. Fine
7. Vanilla
8. Halo
9. Out of Mind
10. Mixed Melodies (ft. Mariqueen)
11. Secret Land
12. HK/SF/LA

BUY THIS ALBUM Here!

The identical twins known as Ming & Ping return with their fourth full-length album which will be out on iTunes and their official website (www.mingping.com) on August 31st.  The Los Angeles electronic pop duo has attracted a growing number of fans especially moreso now courtesy of their music appearing on music videos and promotional spots for Bombardier Ski-Doo, Transworld Snowboarding, Oakley, Alliance Wakeboard and Mack Dawg Productions (MDP).  Also, earning great reviews for their electrifying multimedia stage show and showing off their artistic creativity.

This is my first time listening to Ming & Ping and immediately, their sound and style evoked nostalgic memories of Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, New Order and Depeche Mode but a style pretty much to unique to their own capitalizing on memorable hooks, arrangements and of course, electronic music.  If I can describe “Ming & Ping”, the album features a smorgasbord of electronic delight with each track.  Each track is literally different from one another because of this, it manages to keep their music sounding fresh and different.

The album kicks off with an electro-pop track titled “Return to Zero” about wasted love focusing on the track’s stern lyrics, while the second track “Strangers” features an oldschool style of sound but a track showcasing the duo’s vocals.  The third track “Bridge & Tunnel” is an interesting track as your mind focuses on the music with its interesting shifts of electronic beats.  Listening to the tracks again, you feel that you are introduced to something new again as your mind starts to focus on the songs quite differently.

And that is where “Ming & Ping” shines is its use of variety.   you can listen to an enjoyably fun song such as “Vanilla” evokes a chiptune-like sound with its old school 8-bit Nintendo sound but then get to a track such as “Secret Land”, where the song easily evokes memories of a Neil Tennant for a Pet Shop Boys style of track  .Other favorites on the album include “Love Etc.” showcasing an escaping song with cool music and vocals and the track “After the End” that utilizes a brooding bassline but puts the listener through an electronic journey to the unknown.

Another enjoyable track includes “Mixed Melodies”, in which the duo collaborate with Mariqueen Maandig (former member of West Indian Girl and the fiance of Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor) who puts a heavenly spin with her vocals on the track.

I have to admit that I was not too familiar with Ming & Ping’s music until recently.  After listening to their new album, I searched on YouTube to check out their music videos and even watch many people excited for their live performances.  As a fan of electronic music and having grown up with it during my early KROQ New Wave/Alternative music years, it was great to hear a group produce the music but instead of copying (or covering) a popular electro-pop group, that Ming & Ping are able to create their own whimsical and exciting music but also manage to bring their artistic creativity onstage.

Overall,  “Ming & Ping” is a solid album definitely worth checking out!