Rainbow Chan’s The Bridal Lament began as a solo theatre work before becoming this 13-track album. Its subject is a historical pre-marital ritual from Chan’s Weitou ancestry, in which brides sang and cried before leaving their families. That gives the record a clear emotional and cultural centre, but the music isn’t presented as a museum piece. Electronic production, loops and pop structures carry songs about grief, family and endurance, with Chan handling the writing, performances, production and recording herself across Naarm/Melbourne and Sydney.
The tracklist moves between English titles, Chinese language and food imagery, with “茶果 Caa3 Gwo2 Dumplings (Interlude)” recorded in Hong Kong and extra work on “Under The Laurel Tree” completed in Los Angeles. “Fish Song Bird Song”, “Vegetable Lament” and “Fruit Song” are traditional pieces arranged by Chan, giving the album a direct link to older material inside its contemporary vocal and electronic frame. Matthew Hadley mixed it and Becki Whitton mastered it. Fans of adventurous pop, experimental electronics and vocal-led records should find plenty to follow here, especially if the idea of a theatrical song cycle appeals more than a conventional pop album.
