Nightingale Tales by Bihzhu
Nightingale Tales is the debut EP of Bihzhu, who has played in one capacity or another with pop-jazz duo Rhapsody and dub outfit Layan Sound System. Nightingale Tales sees Bihzhu play to her strengths of simple, unaffected songwriting and purity of vocalizations. Her appealing blend of confessional pop, jazzy folk, and lo-fi torch songs takes the listener through a journey of emotions which feels so intimate because they are authentic.
The EP kicks off with The Heart Way - a catchy and indefatigably cheerful tune of acceptance. Capturing Bihzhu's joyful approach to life, it was part of Julie Biscuits Share the Love campaign and has been heard on major radio stations like 988 FM, XFM and Hitz FM. Easy Peasy is whimsically charming and has a wistfulness which invites the listener to dream then Palpitations picks up the pace and has a retro vibe resounding with lush instrumention and playful scatting. Taking a more emotional turn, Tainted Temples is darker in tone but ultimately triumphantly cathartic. A Chord Green is Bihzhu's homage to spoken word with her blues inflected vocals over a minimal arrangement. A fitting closing is Xiao Bai Chuan, a Mandarin nursery rhyme her mother sang her to sleep with when she was little - Bihzhu now imbues it with her own flavour and sings it with a tenderness fitting for a song with such intense sentimental value.
Eclectic but not random, Nightingale's Tales is a compendium of anecdotes from Bihzhu's adventures so far. It's effortless and unfeigned, welcoming and content to linger. And linger you will.
Tracklist
| 1. | The Heart Way | 4:26 |
| 2. | Easy Peasy | 3:28 |
| 3. | Palpitations | 3:03 |
| 4. | Tainted Temples | 3:12 |
| 5. | A Chord Green | 5:13 |
| 6. | 小白船 (Xiao Bai Chuan) | 3:26 |
Credits
License
All rights reserved.
With a dynamic range that defies genres, Bihzhu is blessed with a rich, soulful voice that is hauntingly evocative one moment, and spiritedly rousing the next.
Bihzhu’s genuine songcraft transcends pain and heartache to celebrate life, and love. Her “heart music” have left audiences finger-snapping, foot-tapping, and dancing all over Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, China, Indonesia and India.