Album Review: Subduing the Silence from Ruiqi Wang (王睿琪)
Album: Subduing the Silence Artist: Ruiqi Wang (王睿琪) Label: Orchard of Pomegranates Website: https://www.ruiqiwangsings.com/ The debut recording Subduing the Silence from vocalist Ruiqi Wang (王睿琪) fuses ruminating vocals with stride piano, chamber music serenades, and traditional Chinese spirituals. Wang's delivery is expressive, articulate and introspective as she channels a calm current among the sparse instrumental layers. Her songs are interspersed with short instrumental interludes, indulging in freeform extemporization while Wang steers the recording into dream-like ambiences, helmed by thought-evoking lyrics and her sensual voicing. Accompanied by Stephanie Urquhart on piano, Summer Kodama on bass, Mili Hong on drums, and members of the Craft Ensemble including Colleen Brannen on violin, Amy Sims on violin, Amelia Hollander Ames on viola, and Velleda Miragias on cello, Wang bridges the ethereal plane with the human soul. The chanting voi...