Chinese Music Blog

This album has been released for a few months. It’s not until recently when I saw the video of “Dear Fiona” on TV, I know that I have to write a review for this album.

“糖不甩/Tong But Lat” is a dessert specialty consisting of glutinous rice mixed with sugar coated crushed peanuts, sesame. The Khalil Fong’s composition is a surprise for me. A blend R&B and Chinese oriental sound is not common in Taiwanese music, but it sounds totally fresh in Cantonese music. I would say it takes a considerable amount of courage to plug it as the first single from the album.

The first time I heard “小峽谷之1234/Siu Hap Gok Ji Yat Yee Sum Sei”, I thought it was Joey Yung for a moment. The fast-beat song composed by Edward Chan and Charles Lee has a kind of disco feel, and Fiona adds a unique style to it. I was impressed by the improvement of her I thought once weak vocal.

Track 3, 4, and 6 are normal slow ballads with Fiona’s sweet voice. The theme song of the movie “新札师妹3/Love Undercover 3″, “树娃/Shu Wa” has its name taken from Fiona’s lead role in the movie. “狐狸今天你愉快吗/Woo Lei Kam Tin Nei Yu Fai Ma” is another soft ballad that allows Fiona’s clear crisp vocal to stand out.

“Dear Fiona” is my favorite song in the album along with track 1 and 2. The song gradually grows from a soft guitar-accompanied melody to a rock tune with strong drum beat and electric guitar sound. A great song that I listen to repeatedly and Fiona defeinitely develops her own style when she sings it. The lyrics are uplifting. I love it when she sings “trust in you dear”, it’s as if she’s asking her to believe in herself.

“梦游/Mong Yao” uses electronic sounds that create the atmosphere of sleepwalking. “雪花飄/Xue Hua Piao” is the Mandarin version of “糖不甩/Tong But Lat”. Fiona did quite a good job singing Mandarin, but it’s still not as good as the Cantonese version. Whereas “社会歌/Say Wooi Goh” has the same melody as of track 2 with different lyrics and a different arrangement.

At track 10 is another short and sweet ballad, “给10年后的我/Kap Sap Nin Hao Dik Ngo”. What will we become in ten years time? Will we be more successful, more mature, experienced, wise? Or will we be tired, numb? Will we forget the dreams that we once determine to achieve?

“Electric Angel” is an album that shows us Fiona’s potential as a singer. I’ll be looking forward to her next album.

Track listing:

1. 糖不甩/Tong But Lat [Sweet and Sticky]
2. 小峡谷之1234/Siu Hap Gok Ji Yat Yee Sum Sei [Little Canyon]
3. 争/Jang [Fight]
4. 树娃/Shu Wa
5. Dear Fiona
6. 凤凰木/Fong Wong Muk [Royal Poinciana]
7. 狐狸今天你愉快吗/Woo Lei Kam Tin Nei Yu Fai Ma [Are You Happy Today, Fox?]
8. 梦游/Mong Yao [Sleepwalking]
9. 雪花飄/Xue Hua Piao [Snowflakes Flicker]
10. 给10年后的我/Kap Sap Nin Hao Dik Ngo [For Ten-Years-Later Me]
Bonus Track: 社会歌/Say Wooi Goh [Song of Society]

Recommended tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 10