The Catcher In The Rye
Bai An

Unforgettable
Jia Jia

Archer
Magic Power

Record label B’in Music fielded five of its acts for a massive concert in the Taipei Arena earlier this month.
The Taiwanese line-up comprised newcomers Bai An and Jia Jia, as well as more established acts: singer-songwriter Yen-j, kooky trio Cosmos People and pop group Magic Power.
It was a smart way to create buzz, although singer-songwriter Bai An has already been generating plenty of that on her own. Her voice has a distinctive timbre that reminds one of Singapore’s own Stefanie Sun and British songstress Dido. Yet, Bai An’s unusual enunciation – in which she pronounces “zhai” instead of “zai” (Mandarin for ‘existing’), for instance – sets her apart.
Cloaked in electronica, her debut album has a decidedly youthful vibe about it. Not in the sense of having a childish theme or sounding kiddie, but in the way she engages with the world.
For example, on the title track, she sings: “Cos I know you won’t be here/Cos I know you won’t be there/I don’t even wanna talk/But I’ll catch your smile/I’m the catcher in the rye”.
From the reference to J.D. Salinger’s classic American novel of adolescent angst in the title, to songs with names such as I Only Wish To Care About The Things I Care About, this album smells like teen(-ish) spirit all right.
Both Bai An and Jia Jia made it to No. 3 on the G-Music album charts with their records.
While this is Jia Jia’s solo debut, she is actually a Golden Melody Award-winning artist for her collaboration with Hao En on the bluesy Blue In Love (2006).
She is the real deal, a power vocalist who knows when to rein it in and when to belt it out.
And the material on Unforgettable showcases her pipes beautifully.
Soul Turned Into Stone is a moving ballad with an aching refrain: “If one day my emptiness meets his love, love/If one day his emptiness meets my love, love”.
The album is not just chock-a-block with ballads though. She is sweetness and light on the flirty Fireworks Festival, and then swings with the rhythm on the retro-pop of Common Sense Of Breaking Up.
Good as she sounds on record, she sounds even better live.
Live is also the best way to experience the hip-hop party pop of Magic Power’s third album.
The title track Archer comes with some simple dance moves and is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of anyone doing it. And kudos to them for unexpectedly rhyming “lock and load” with “rock ’n’ roll” – and pulling it off.
The beat-heavy synth-pop continues with Feeling Guilty: “When the feeling comes, just love/As long as the feeling’s right, just love”.
When the feeling is right, just move. And Archer is right on target for music that gets you grooving.
(ST)