LISTEN: Didi + Ping Releases Debut Single “Buffalo Jump”
LISTEN: Didi + Ping Releases Debut Single “Buffalo Jump”
Get ready to experience every emotion in the book.
Words By: Bre Offenberger
Didi + Ping — the moniker of electronic artist Kristian Wang — has released his debut single, “Buffalo Jump.” The multi-instrumentalist and experimental producer didn’t go the safe route for his introduction to the music world — he took a risk, and he did it extraordinarily well.
Synths that grow rapidly with every passing second open the track while flute trills soar through the sky like a bird that’s just learned how to fly. The flutes become more complex as the entire song dissolves into a soothing house track. More percussion instruments are added on with each new verse, and just after the time eclipses the one-minute mark, it all simmers down to a bass-driven melody similar to what you’d hear at a rave pre-pandemic. As that settles, in comes a sample of a Native American gathering via a group that resides in Alberta, Canada, near Didi + Ping’s native country of Calgary.
From there, it ranges from staccato synths to intricate piano chords to a zap of a replication of an electric shock, which causes the track to enter its simmering phase once more. The track transforms into a vastly different entity, as strings cascade down behind keys that’ll bring tears to your eyes and the various sounds of nature seep in through the background. It gradually builds up to its initial riff of flutes, showing that even after you’ve experienced the full spectrum of emotion, everything truly does come full circle.
Of the track, Didi + Ping shares: “My excitement is through the roof imagining people dancing and enjoying my debut single but the release is also hard to believe. Music is my first language, yet I’ve never ‘officially’ released for others to listen to. I’m not entirely sure why – maybe because music has always been a personal thing for me that I never even considered sharing. This has been a journey of self-discovery, and I’m thrilled to have people along for the ride.”
This track started as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend. From there, he expanded it to be a love letter not just to his girlfriend, but also to the place where he grew up. The name Didi + Ping is his way of commemorating his Asian heritage: “Didi” means “younger brother” in Mandarin, and it’s also a way for him to celebrate his brother, who has helped him in his musical journey. “Ping” is his Chinese namesake. Though Didi + Ping has only just begun, given this stellar debut, there’s no doubt he’s bound to go far.
