Crescendo Original Soundtrack
Various artists
The Channel 8 television series Crescendo casts the spotlight on the home-grown Mandarin music movement that is xinyao.
But as the soundtrack makes clear, it wants to be more than an exercise in nostalgia. As the movement’s pioneer Liang Wern Fook says in the promotional material: “I hope that xinyao is not just an antique; we still have new songs, fresh talent. In my heart, what’s precious about xinyao is its spirit of innovation.”
So apart from guitar-backed covers of xinyao classics by a fresh generation of singers, there are three new numbers here.
There are the evocative ballads Wish To Tell You, written by Liang and huskily performed by A-do; and Look At You Quietly, written by stalwarts Roy Loi and Xing Zenghua and sung by Tang Wei’en. The light-hearted Happy Youths is a slice-of-life ditty from new names He Shenghui and Guo Weiqi.
The rest of the collection comprises faithful and competent takes on songs such as Xie Hou (Encounter), Lian Zhi Qi (Love’s Refuge) and, of course, that anthem of a generation, Xi Shui Chang Liu (Friendship Forever). There are also pop hits from the likes of singers Stefanie Sun (I’m Not Sad) and Mavis Hee (Regret) included here.
I will always have a soft spot for the originals, though, as those were the versions that formed the soundtrack to my life.
Here’s to hoping that xinyao’s waters keep on flowing and continue to nourish Singapore’s music scene.
(ST)