the light of darkness of summer lei

雷光夏 (summer lei)
黑暗之光 (the light of darkness)
(sony bmg, 2006)
http://www.cizoo.com/summer

i have waited three years for this. 雷光夏 (summer lei), a daughter of taiwan with a wandering spirt, returns with her fifth album (fourth album of new material) which sounds like the sum of her musical journeys, directions and meanderings over the past ten odd years. from her folksy debut 我是雷光夏, an experimental/electronic sophomore 脸颊贴紧月球, to a third classical/chamber third 时间的密语 and its accompanying release 2003逝, a collection of acoustic versions of her past works, 雷光夏managed to draw all the different elements together in one collection of luminous songs on her fifth full length.

the lead single, 我的80年代 (my 80's), with a self-referential never-ending piano intro is a classic summer lei ballad that asks what we have become of us as we grow older, and the permeating sense of loss as the time and place change in our lives, like a late response to the 1995 recording of 逝 collected at the end of her last full length. that song recorded with her schoolmates in a classroom on the eve of her high school graduation had an atmosphere which was dense with fear and anticipation of the then unknown years ahead.

and such are the remaining songs with her favourite subjects and themes about childhood, youth, family and friends, as well as her love for travel, poetry and films. her songs are as she once called them "sound films", cinematic, atmospheric and rich in imageries. gentle but forceful with her unique point of view on life, its memories and dreams.

her albums are usually two-third songs, one third interludes, often employing field recordings collected on her travel trips with a mix of acoustic and electronic instruments. not suprisingly, her past projects included musical works with taiwanese auteur 侯孝贤 (hou hsiao-hsien) on his films and her music videos, and her music is regularly backed by foreign musicians, including pianist uri caine and african percussionist mogauwane mahloele.

雷光夏 completed this album quicker than intended after a road accident in aug 2005 left her injured and either working at the radio station or staying at home with more time to write her songs. this incident also explains the title of the latest album and the beautiful illustrated album art that captures the fantastic dreamland of her music.