[CD REVIEW] 蛋堡 (Soft Lipa) – 收斂水 (Lotion) (2009)

Bursting with lyrical flow and an ear for some of the slickest beats and most laid back jazzy piano chords, 蛋堡 (Soft Lipa) emerges as one of the premier new generation of rappers from the Taiwan Hip hop scene.  Though many-a-Mandarin rappers have come before him, few have been able to present such a convincing musical mosaic such as 收斂水 (Lotion).

When talking about Soft Lipa, what probably gets him the most attention is his Chinese artist name “蛋堡” –– which literary translates to the word “Egg Burger” in English.  The name automatically conjures  images of poached eggs filled between toasty English muffins.  Strangely enough, the aesthetic of this tasty low fat delicacy strangely parallels the music found within this album.  From the way Soft Lipa weaves his melodies to the lighthearted subject matters he takes on.  His rap music is a low calorie alternative to the often over-produced and commercialized trappings of the genre.  In food terms ––If Soft Lipa is an egg burger, than his mainstream brethren are oil drenched Angus Beef burgers.

Stupid food comparisons aside, one listen to his music shows that he is well aware of this “low fat” economy of style –– On “煙霧瀰漫” (Jazzy Remix) it is his ability to seamlessly loop a atonal jazz melody with slick beats.  On “熱水澡” (“Hot Shower”) it is the effective use of shower head water samples in combination to the similar sounding Xylophone musical jingle.

Another distinguished aspect of the rapper can be seen in his choices of samples and use of musical phrases.  The nostalgic synthesizer sample found in “鄉愁” (“Nostalgia”), helps push forward the lyrical story of reminiscence and recollections –– the poignant portrait of one’s home sickness is illustrated by the effective combination of lyrics and music.

Along with slick beats and distinguished musical lines, often times good Hip-hop music boils down to the lyrically and rhythmically competence of the rapper.  Luckily, Soft Lipa does not disappoint in this department either –– he has a good grasp of flow and delivers his lyrical musing with confidence and style.  The Mandarin language he chooses to rap in also has an inherent flowing quality, and lays the solid groundwork for the listener to focus on the lyrical content.  Though Soft Lipa does not deal with many ambitious topics, the topics here are no less interesting and endearing.  Offering his perspective on things ranging from routine showering to rapping about a Teddy Bear rag-doll, he tells us stories on overlooked aspects of life that are rarely touched on.

With Lotion, it is clear that Soft Lipa had a concept in mind, by following a less is more aesthetic, he offers a refreshing new take on Taiwan Hip-hop. A summary of these ambitions are probably showcased best through the lyrics on the title track 收斂水 (Lotion) –– to quote “收斂太多吵鬧的節拍, 收斂太過油膩的題材, 它是甜點或當作前菜, 放在難得清爽的年代. ” –– (“Forget the nauseating beats, forget the greasy topics, whether you think it is a dessert or an appetizer, please put it in context of this new refreshing age.”)

Reveling in this aesthetic, the release comes as an intelligent and refreshing take on a genre that is often caught between high gloss and lowbrow.

Recommended tracks: 04, 10, 12

Track Listing:
01. 關鍵字 (Intro)
02. Hit the Rhyme
03. Bamboo Holla
04. 鄉愁 (Nostalgia)
05. 關於小熊 (About my Teddy)
06. 給你一個吻 (Skit)
07. 遇見 (Meet)
08. Start it Underground
09. 金賭爛 (Deadbeat Gambler)
10. 煙霧瀰漫 (Jazzy Remix)
11. 熱水澡 (Hot Shower)
12. 收斂水 (Lotion)
13. Outro
14. 煙霧瀰漫 (Bonus)

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lojun

I like to spend my time on the internet searching for the meaning of life. When I am not doing this you can find me listening to music or playing the bass…or stuffing myself silly on Burritos.

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