Best & Worst of 2014 Mandopop albums
Best
BREAKTHROUGH
Luantan-Ascent, B’in Music International
Inspired by the natural world, the record dives into the sea, emerges on land and takes flight on songs such as Out From Water, Streams In The Desert and Iceberg. This is revelatory rock, propelled by everything from buzzing guitars to Luantan-Ascent’s magnetic, raspy voice. He ruminates on the essential nature of this earth and even takes on animal forms like a music shaman.

FACES OF PARANOIA – ONLY THE PARANOID SURVIVE
A-mei, Mei Entertainment
Much ink has been spilled on the Taiwanese diva’s ballooning weight, but the spotlight should really be on how good A-mei’s new album is. It sounds like a best-of compilation distilled from the three years that went into it – every track sounds like it could be a hit. Highlights include the slinky Dog, examining a relationship on the brink from the perspective of a shared pet.

MODEL
Li Ronghao, Linfair Records
Thanks to five nominations at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards, China’s Li Ronghao found himself catapulted into the limelight. He eventually nabbed the trophy for Best New Artist.
His lightly husky baritone lights up the understated, mid-tempo material here. Highlights such as the breezy opener Li Bai, Too Frank, a light-footed number about getting hurt, are why the album is compelling enough to make a mannequin move.

Worst
LION ROAR
Show Lo, Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan
One expects more from a milestone 10th album, but dance king Show Lo merely serves up warmed-over rehashed K-pop. His boast on the title song – “I’m not afraid to take on challenges, keep breaking through to something new” – rings hollow.
(ST)