Lydia Ang : Asylum
From intriguing shakuhachi studies to gentle indie folk, Lydia Ang has been quietly releasing a steady cross-genre repertoire of tracks since 2012, blending singer-songwriter sensibilities with a penchant for the sonically experimental. Here, the calm, granular blue that tinges Amid’s graduated cover serves as apt metaphor for the music it contains – with a downcast, melancholic outlook, she delivers her most consistent work so far, tinging sombre pop songwriting with sound design in stylings familiar to readers of The Wire.
Here, it’s the attention to detail that helps its tracks stand out. The steady 4/4 pulse of Ghostly Grains gives way to xx-style guitar lines and Chromatics-like deliveries that form a hypnotic synth-pop monotone, while bubbling metallic textures fill the instrumental palette of Moth and Mayfly. It’s when she envelops her music in this mist where the tracks become most appealing – and accordingly, Asylum is the album’s highlight. With pounding sub-bass frequencies moving pulsating, glacial textures, she weaves together an enchanting slow-burner uniting reverberating pianos, sparse guitar lines and droning waves of glass-like synths.
Amid’s veil of sonic obscura raises her melodies beyond singer-songwriter purgatory, one that often ensnared the vocal-heavy stylings of her past work. But it remains its weakness – even as these songs serve interest with their microscopic details, they unfortunately feel a little too meandering at times. There is a lack of gravitas and impact when it comes to the hooks and melodic sensibilities throughout, which leads to an album that feels like it takes itself a little too seriously at times. It isn't entirely self-indulgent, but the later half of the album in particular suffers when it reverts to comparatively straightforward production, as its skeletal and weak songwriting gets brought to light.
Amid is a solid album in its own right, and a sure testament to Ang’s commitment to sonic exploration and continually pushing her artistic boundaries. Even with songwriting that might not seem to hit the mark at times, Ang’s densely layered, atmospheric production alongside keen attention to detail create a worthwhile exploration of heartbreak and existential dread.