Kaifeng-born, Vancouver-based artist Yu Su has released her debut album, Yellow River Blue, on her newly launched bié Records.
Written and recorded in different continents between August 2019 and March 2020, the album seeks to capture the feeling of touring, moving and trying to be accepted in various places over several years. It is an homage to her home beside the Yellow River in China.
Across eight tracks, Yu Su covers a lot of ground with this record. She is taking the feelings of touring and living around the world, distilling that into one record. It opens with “Xiu,” a blend of uptempo house music and traditional Chinese music. The album moves fluidly between pop, house, experimental electronic movements and ambient music with her voice being used as another piece of larger sonic puzzles.
“Touch-Me-Not” is built around slowly evolving, beautiful, shimmering synths that gradually slow their roll to the final second. The theme of nature is felt in its fullest on “Gleam” as water drops echo in the foreground around light percussion and synth work for another beautiful record. This is contrasted by distant mechanical chaos on “Klein.”
The album ends with two gentle records “Dusty” and the at night version of “Melaleuca” for a soft come down to close out the LP.
Listen to the full project below and get your copy here.
