This is a really cool NPR story on Afterquake, a new folk/electronica music project that's just been produced in Sichuan and will be released as a seven-song EP on May 12 -- the anniversary of the massive earthquake that struck southwestern China last year -- with a portion of proceeds going to Sichuan Quake Relief: Earthquake Soundscapes.

The project is a collaboration between Abigail Washburn, who's been singing old-time Appalachian mountain music in Chinese(!), and Dave Liang, the guy behind the Shanghai Restoration Project, which I've mentioned here many many times. Considering the kind of music Dave puts together, it makes perfect sense.

The two have collected recordings in rural Sichuan of what they call "earthquake soundscapes" -- construction sounds, playground noise, song performances by children from the quake zone, and the voices of their parents. Based on what I heard from the NPR piece, it's pretty amazing stuff. It says the CD will be available on May 12.