Winds of Change is a classical album by Allen Kai-Lang Yu. It utilises layers of piano melodies that fuse, meld and interact as the album goes. The first track, Whispers of The Wind, begins with a slow start that feels like wind swaying in the trees. Its bright timbre and evolving cadence feel like the wind slowly picking up pace.
As it does, the track increases in intensity, adding a depth through the baseline that contrasts the original melody. The sound has room to evolve. It employs these rich runs that provide a sonic staircase to explore every perspective of the sonic tapestry.
People and Traditions is another excellent track. Its foundation is the subtle tension between the left hand and the main melody. I think this aspect helps the track shine as it swells. This tension blossoms into unity as the pace and energy increase. This development is beautiful to listen to and feels thematically relevant in terms of the unity at the core of Allen Kai-Lang Yu’s work.
Cityscapes are my favourite track on the album. Whereas some other tracks feel deep, forward-facing, and cerebral, the cityscape is a song that lives in the moment. That’s what makes it unique. Its melody is subtle and evokes the hustle and bustle of a thriving city and the beauty within the chaotic noise that comes with it. In big cities, there is often this sense of prevailing humanity through the diverse array of people living there. That bizarre and ever-changing culture feels represented through the melody’s meandering tone.
The spiritual walk surprised me with its energy. I expected the track to have a laid-back tone because of the title. Although there is an ineffable sense of the ethereal, the track feels equally connected to the natural world. The brightness of the timbre that comes through around the 3-minute mark evokes images of nature and spirituality.
Overall, Winds Of Change feels like an album connected to its themes. It understands what it is trying to represent and does so beautifully.
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