Symbolic Creature
Self-Released, 2022
10/10
The recording moniker of Michelle Zheng, as Lunar Noon the eclectic artist employs electronica, harp and guitars, among others, for a very unclassifiable listen in the area of chamber, jazz, classical and pop.
“Rabbits” opens the listen with calm keys and Zheng’s soft, dreamy vocals guiding a very hazy climate of well timed strings amid a soothing backdrop, and “Ginkgo” follows with a fuller approach of playful percussion and soulful backing voices amid a very creative chamber appeal.
The middle tracks are some of the best, including the elegant keys of the tense yet pretty “Anywhere”, while “Provenance” hovers around a surreal climate of brushed percussion, sophisticated piano and Zheng’s impressive range. “Suspension”, another excellent track, then twinkles under a buzzing ambience that’s cinematic in its unique texturing.
Gliding towards the end, “Yellow House” lets the classically influenced piano accent the expressive, gorgeous singing, and “Gold” exits the listen in a busy, surreal display of chamber-pop that’s addicting in its unique delivery.
A very complicated affair that’s not short on melodies, harmonies and, of course, exploration, Symbolic Creature can be traced back to a trip to Japan in 2019 that yielded much self-examination for Zheng, and the resulting body of work is highly artistic and profoundly introspective.
Travels well with: Emily Wells- Mama; Amy LaVere- Painting Blue