Wang Chung

Formed in London in 1980 around Jack Hues and Nick Feldman, initially with drummer Darren Costin, Wang Chung was part of the early-1980s British new wave, mixing synth-pop, pop rock, light funk and clear electronic textures. The band began under the name Huang Chung and released the album Huang Chung in 1982 before adopting the name Wang Chung permanently. That early period established a style based on crisp keyboard lines, danceable rhythms and concise pop songwriting, developed further on Points on the Curve (1984) and Mosaic (1986). Wang Chung also occupies a distinctive place at the intersection of pop and film with the soundtrack to To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), composed for William Friedkin’s film, which revealed a more atmospheric, urban facet of their music. After The Warmer Side of Cool (1989) the group’s activity became more sporadic, until a recording comeback with Tazer Up! in 2012. Remaining centered on the Hues–Feldman duo, Wang Chung has continued to perform this repertoire that sits between new wave, synth-driven rock and the club pop typical of the 1980s.