Emerging from Wuhan, China’s riotous punk scene in 2006, AV Okubo has a darkly melodic sound that balances their spastic energy and coldly metallic guitar tone. You could compare the young rockers to the American punk band Wipers, except that AV Okubo might actually be weirder than Wipers. The band is named for a minor character in the Hong Kong film First Love: The Litter on the Breeze who spent the disjointed movie looking for his porn star girlfriend, and they claim Hong Kong experimental film and China’s early space program among their disparate influences.   Frontman Lu Yan (vox/keyboard), Tan Chao (guitar), Zuo Yi (bass) and Hu Juan (percussion) are all from the local music scene and have wildly different interests.  Maybe having so many inspirations is how they got their individual sound, which could be described as well digested chaos.  Their debut album The Greed of Man(2010) is perfect for listening to while on your evening commute or when you want to jump around your apartment.  They have even done an awesome cover of Gang of Four’s “To Hell With Poverty.”

Musically, they identify with Gang of Four and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their post-punk sensibilities make for rousing live performances and a fiercely loyal fan base that pile in for their shows.