Dearest Bride

Rynn Lim

Malaysian singer-songwriter Rynn Lim is a groom-in-waiting, searching for his bride.

He looks dapper and pensive in the lyric booklet and on the lead track My Bride, he croons: “I shouldn’t treat you as my bride/How could there be a future to speak of/You’re just tired from walking/And need my shoulder to rest on, that’s all”.

By adding a gender twist, Lim gives us a different take on traditional yearning-to-be-a-bride numbers, such as Taiwanese singer Michelle Pan’s 1992 classic Matchmaker.

Speaking of different takes, he offers a cover version of the Minnan number Call My Name that is miles from the bombast of Eric Moo’s original, and still moving.

I’m not sure if this qualifies as a brand new album, though, as five tracks here were included in his previous, best-of collection: 100, Merry-go-round Of Love, 7 Days, Crime Scene and Gravity Of Love.

Though the album is bookended by more sombre tracks, Lim’s strength is actually in the playful and jaunty numbers.

Vanished is a song about the damaged environment that avoids being preachy, thanks to its light-hearted tune. The lyrics serve up an arresting image: “If we can last till we’re 60/Together, hand in hand/Build a snow globe in the desert”.

It’s enough to win you over.

Shine

Shine Huang

She’s cutesy. She’s peppy. And she’s all of 19.

True to the youthful demographic it’s targeted at, Taiwan’s Shine Huang’s debut album even includes a biodata section detailing her height (163cm), weight (42kg) and fear of flying insects: “Bugs are really disgusting!!!!!! Don’t come near me!!!!!! Including butterflies!!!!!!”

She punctuates as though she was forbidden to use exclamation marks in childhood.

Unfortunately, there is less to exclaim about when it comes to the CD’s content.

Musically, there have been some comparisons with her idol Jolin Tsai and there are a number of bouncy dance tracks here such as Electrocuted and the harder-edged Flowery World.

But Huang’s child-like vocals are too much to take song after song. After a few spins, I feel like I need a cup of strong black coffee to go with the sugar rush.

Dancing diva Tsai can rest easy, for now.

(ST)