Archives Of The Natural World

DREAMY SINGER/SONGWRITER. A paean to wildlife and natural places. There’s a laudable intent, but execution leaves something to be desired. Chen’s singing is breathy and slurred, so it’s hard to understand the lyrics. There’s a tiring sameness to the tracks.
No FCC issues.

1 * Slow. Somewhat folkie melody, prettier than most other tracks. High ethereal voice, gentle arpeggio on elec guitar, the merest tapping of drums, a bit too much bass. (5:21)
2 * Mid-tempo. More a rock feel, still mellow. Lower singing, rhythm elec guitar. (3:16)
3 VERY slow, very quiet. Breathy vocal, tiniest bit of accompaniment. (5:23)
4 Slow. Fun elec guitar craziness with whammy bar & pedals. Singing is dreadful. (5:29)
5 Even slower. Ditto on the vocal. Female harmony singers added. (4:45)
6 Very slow again. Breathy singing again, this time on multi tracks. Getting tedious. (4:59)
7 Very slow. An interesting attempt to be a bit more avant-garde. (Half a star for effort). Instrumentation includes toy piano & electric sounds. Try if you like experimental. (3:59)
8 * Very slow. She actually sings a song-like melody, not just spacey wilderness ambiance. Mellow elec guitar; pleasant bass line. Gains tempo toward end. (5:12)
9 * Very slow. Breathy, half-sung vocals glide all over and around the notes. An electronic drone continuo in the background makes it somewhat interesting. (4:34)