Shermaine Yeo
Smooth, placid and easy on the ears; that’s how you’d describe Singaporean singer Joi Chua‘s voice. It’s been 2 years since her last album, Joi, Blessed and now she’s going Back To Basics.
What’s special about this release is that it features compositions by the gifted 31-year-old. Although she’d penned melodies in her previous tracks, like “与生俱来”(Inherent) and “我想快乐些”(I Want To Be Happier), both found in her debut local release, 日出 (Sunrise), these were rare occurrences. This time, she had a part in writing 5 out of 11 songs.
Apart from her greater involvement in creating the various tracks, the album also boasts contribution from highly sought after people in the industry.
The first is the title track composed by local singer-songwriter JJ Lin. The simple melody makes “Back to Basics” a pleasant listening experience and the lyricist gave it a naturalistic feel with no-frills, straightforward words. With phrases like “就回到最初, 最晴朗最开阔的天空， 搬走摩天楼别挡住彩虹”(translated as “just go back to basics, to the clearest, widest sky. Move away the skyscrapers, don’t block the rainbow”), there’s a sense of simplicity and candidness.
Noteworthy is also “My Home”, which was the theme of Channel 8 drama 不凡的爱 (By My Side). Joi is a familiar voice in drama theme songs, such as “风铃” (Wind Chime) for 蓝色仙人掌 (Rhapsody in Blue) and “让我擦掉你的眼泪” (Let Me Wipe Away Your Tears) for 活下去 (A Life of Hope). Composed by 林倛玉 (Jim Lim), “My Home” has an infectious tune and plain, yet meaningful, lyrics. With words like “完美可以很简单, 只要过得没遗憾” (translated as “perfection can be very simple, just live on without any regrets”) the number grows on you and you feel compelled to sway to the rhythm of the music.
While Joi’s effortless singing can make up for any lack, there were still some disturbing moments, for example, “Our Beginning” had too many things going on. Percussion, piano, background vocals and her polished croon were not well integrated in the arrangement, leaving us with aural clutter.
After listening to Joi’s high-pitched voice, the lower key in the starting of “The Day He Went Away”, while audible, sounded awkward. Still, this is better than some other vocalists who come across muffled when they attempt to vocalise out of their comfortable range.
Joi undeniably has a great voice and talent, but it’s a tough fight for Back To Basics to compete againstworks by big names like Angela Chang and Eason Chan. More variety in the genres she takes on could let her stand out from others in the industry. Duets like “小夫妻” (Little Couple) and “女人们的咖啡” (Ladies’ Coffee) seem to be her forte, so it was a little disappointing to not find one in this album.
Title: 回到最初 Back To Basics
Artiste: 蔡淳佳 Joi Chua
Language: Mandarin
Record Label: Warner Music
Release Date: Sep 25
Tracklist:
- 回到最初 Back To Basics
- 隐形纪念 Invisible Remembrance
- 簷前雨 Rain on Eaves
- 回家的路 The Road Home
- 前座后座 Front Seat, Back Seat
- 表面完美的爱 Love That Seems Perfect
- 他离开的第一天 The Day He Went Away
- 找回自己 Self-Discovery
- 要幸福啊 Be Happy
- 我们的最初 Our Beginning
- 我的家 My Home