Occasionally, you encounter an album that leaves you thinking, “What did I just hear?”. It’s an uncommon occurrence for me, but it definitively occurred when I gave the new album from Chinese group OU a listen. Named ‘II: Frailty’, this album trails their inaugural album that was put out in 2022.
Before reviewing this album, I was not familiar with OU, so I approached this album from a completely unbiased perspective. Undoubtedly, the standout of this album is lead singer Lynn Wu’s beautiful voice, especially when it is altered or layered, as is occasionally the case. As a listener from the West, it’s an accepted expectation that foreign bands will sing in English. However, to hear a band embracing their own language is a breath of fresh air, even though this might mean missing a catchy chorus or lyrical meaning. Certainly, the choice to have songs performed entirely in Chinese phonetically contributes a unique ambiance and texture that stands out from a majority of English music.
Initiating the album with “Frailty” sets the tone for what to expect. The track begins with a slightly dream-like piano riff, transitioning between ambient ethereal tunes, and then rhythmically oscillates to djent or doom metal style riffs, with blast beats incorporated for additional effect. Moving on to the next track, “Purge” which showcases the unique Devin Townsend as a guest vocalist. It is indeed an intense track, where Wu’s vocals nicely complement and contrast with Devin. “Ocean”, tends to lean towards a more synth-heavy sound with an extremely catchy chorus. “Capture and Elongate” commences with rhythmic quiet verses before escalating to intense choruses.
“Spirit Broken” emerged as one of the most melodious and aesthetically pleasing songs on the entire album, with Lynn’s voice leaving an indelible mark. “YYDS” predominantly serves as an instrumental piece with a restrained use of vocal tracks, predominantly serving as ambient noise. This dearth of prominent vocals made the track somewhat less appealing compared to other songs on the album. The final song, “Recall”, stands out due to its eccentricity, with recurring vocal loops from the opening song overlaid with changing rhythmic time patterns.
This album features some highly impressive tracks that are definitely worth checking out, with standout titles such as “Purge”, “Capture and Elongate” and “Recall”. If you’re a lover of bands like Sleep Token or Polyphia, I would specifically recommend this album for you as it aligns well with this fresh music style, based on my personal opinion.
One critique I have about this album is that while the abrupt changes in tone enhance it, they also cause a somewhat disjoined listening experience. Moreover, the vocals are crucial to this album, their absence is extremely noticeable. It took multiple listening for me to appreciate the album, but I believe those who devote extra time and effort will be gratified with one of the most distinctive releases of the year.
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InsideOutMusic published it on April 26th, 2024.
https://ou.lnk.to/II-Frailty
蘇醒II: Frailty Tracklist:
1. 蘇醒 Frailty
2. 淨化 Purge
3. 海 Ocean
4. 血液 Redemption
5. Derive Capture and Elongate (Serenity)
6. 破魂 Spirit Broken
7. 歪歪地愛 yyds
8. 輪迴 Reborn
9. 念 Recall
OU lineup:
Lynn Wu – Vocals
Jing Zhang – Guitars
Chris Cui – Bass
Anthony Vanacore – Drums
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