Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Taking after other talented pianists like Lang Lang and … Sakamoto, Allen Kai-Lang Yu takes us on a musical journey thanks to the delicate notes of his piano. The album is made of 12 talks, also very romantic and dreamy. We don’t really hear any other instruments and this allows the listener to focus on Yu’s raw talent. I feel like his playing is speaking to us, trying to tell us something: telling us a story, making us dance or simply helping us daydream.
After the first, very romantic “Whispers of the Wind,” thematically connected to the title of the album, we have “Tango Fantasia,” which is slightly catchier than the opening song. Then we continue with “Peoples and Traditions” and “A Fairy’s Tale,” which might as well be included in a Pixar, Disney or Dreamworks movie. I would very well see a story unfolding to Yu’s delicate piano notes.
“Cityscapes” reminds me of the collections that Chinese pianist Lang Lang put together, like New York Rhapsody. On the other end of the spectrum, “Pastoral River” makes me think of green fields and blue lakes with clear water, strongly contrasting with the chaotic rhythm of “Cityscapes.”
“A Joyful Ride” is, pretty much, what it sounds like: a simple, happy-go-lucky track that will definitely put a smile on your face. “A Mother’s Voice” is a lullaby meant to put you to sleep: it is lowkey and delicate and it goes really well after “A Joyful Ride.”
“Foggy Bay” is in minor key and we can hear the contrast from the previous two songs. “A Spiritual Walk” is a very intuitive track characterized by this meditative mood.
“Desert Gala” starts with a very danceable melody that later get elaborated over and over, becoming catchier and catchier. Lastly, “Leaves in the Wind” is a nice farewell from the album which nicely closes the project.
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