Jah Wobble And Tian Qiyi Reimagine The Beatles Through Dub And Chinese Tradition On Mystic Liverpool Album

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, Jah Wobble has teamed up with his sons’ duo Tian Qiyi for Mystic Liverpool, a bold new album that reimagines Beatles classics through dub production, traditional Chinese instrumentation, and Mongolian folk traditions.

Public Image Ltd bassist Jah Wobble has joined forces with his sons, John T Wardle and Charlie Wardle, to release Mystic Liverpool: The Beatles’ Psychedelic Psongbook. Released via Cherry Red Records, the record reimagines the catalog of The Beatles through a blend of dub production, traditional Chinese instrumentation, and Mongolian folk elements.

A Family Tradition Rooted in Liverpool

The project relies heavily on familial and cultural history anchored in Liverpool. The mother of the younger duo, Zi Lan Liao, contributes on the gu-zheng. She is a Royal Academy of Music graduate recognized globally for her mastery of the instrument.

Her father, Liao Gui Xiong, moved to Liverpool in 1981. He founded the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, an ensemble where both John T and Charlie performed from early childhood. The resulting album serves as a tribute to him as a lifelong collector of vinyl records produced by The Beatles.

Instrumentation and Production Mechanics

Recording took place at Pagoda Studios in Liverpool with joint production credits shared between Jah Wobble, John T, and Charlie Wardle. John T handled the mixing process, establishing an acoustic balance between modern studio techniques and raw ethnic instrumentation.

The arrangements feature Jah Wobble on his trademark bass guitar, accompanied by Chinese percussion instruments and the yangqin. Charlie contributes vocals alongside performances on the erhu and the morin khuur, a traditional Mongolian horse-head fiddle.

The Creative Intersection of Dub and Psychedelia

Jah Wobble connects his early fascination with Beatles recordings directly to the production choices on this release. He points to tracks like Strawberry Fields Forever as his initial introduction to unconventional audio production during his childhood. Because he views dub music as an extension of the broader psychedelic genre, applying echo-heavy production and heavy basslines to these compositions felt natural.

John T grew up immersed in those same dub influences. This shared background created a unified production direction for the album. The songs avoid simple nostalgia in favor of intentional sonic exploration, treating the source material as open framework for cross-cultural arrangement.

Career Background and Collaborative History

As a founding member of Public Image Ltd and the leader of Invaders of the Heart, Jah Wobble brings nearly five decades of musical experience to the collaboration. His discography includes past work with experimental figures such as Holger Czukay, Jaki Liebezeit, Brian Eno, and The Edge.

His ongoing musical output includes recent full-length collaborations with reggae vocalists Horace Andy and Ken Boothe. Pairing this extensive production history with his sons’ contemporary perspective gives the album a distinct bridge between post-punk history and modern ethno-psychedelic soundscapes.

Tracklist and Artistic Approach

Rather than relying on standard cover song formulas, the project treats the material as mystical compositions that naturally align with dub aesthetics and eastern musical scales.

• Tomorrow Never Knows
• Strawberry Fields Forever
• Within You Without You
• I Am The Walrus
• Norwegian Wood
• Blue Jay Way
• The Inner Light
• Love You To
• Flying
• Rain

The release is available as a compact disc digipack and through digital streaming platforms via Cherry Red Records. Jah Wobble is also supporting the release with ongoing live performances alongside The Invaders of the Heart throughout the United Kingdom.

Find more from Jah Wobble And Tian Qiyi now:

Keep up with Tian Qiyi
Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify | Booking

Keep up with Jah Wobble
Website | Bandcamp | Tour Info | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Apple Music | Spotify | Jah Wobble & Jon Klein album