Time of Rebirth

yay my first cd review is out in today's papers! i reviewed The Observatory's Time of Rebirth. The Observatory is a local band fronted by Leslie Low (Humpback Oak)
I didn't exactly know how to describe their sound so I sorta just wrote watever really.
I also got to meet Leslie and Pann (of Concave Scream) to talk about the album artwork, which is done in the style of a diary. Very cool. And unique.
The Observatory gig is on March 26 at the Alliance Francaise in case anyone's interested.
In any case, here's my review.

A worthwhile dreaminess the observatory … time of rebirth

4 out of 5 stars

THERE'S a quiet, solitary feeling about Time Of Rebirth. It makes you want to stare out the
window and do nothing.

Not that the music lulls you into a sense of ennui. Rather, it makes you want to reflect on
life as the music streams in over the headphones.

Local group The Observatory, comprising singer-songwriter Leslie Low, keyboardist-singer
Vivian Wang, guitarist Dharma, programmer Evan Tan and guitarist Victor Low, will officially
release their long-awaited debut album, Time Of Rebirth, tomorrow.

A demo album had been on sale last year but the official album comes with an additional
song, new arrangements and some unique packaging, which reflects the music's melancholic yet
subtle personality.

Time of Rebirth, which took two years, blends acoustic music with electronic programming.

It's hard to put a finger on what genre The Observatory's music fits into. Ambient?
Electronica? Perhaps.

But, perhaps music doesn't need to be squeezed into a genre. It should just be listened to
and appreciated.

And Time Of Rebirth is definitely one to appreciate.

Wang and Low share the vocals, with Wang's girlish voice contrasting and yet blending with
Low's reluctant, contemplative tone.

Low's dreamy lyrics describe that never-ending search for meaning in life, but they don't
go over the deep end and plunge the listener into confusion as some lyrics are wont to do.

The search continues.