Just by chance, while scrolling through a Discord community for composers, I came across the Hong Kongese composer, singer, and producer Lam Terence. The video featured a conventionally attractive singer with the usual aesthetics and look of Korean and Chinese pop. However, the person who shared the video wrote:

"I love pop songs composed in 5/4."

This piqued my interest, as the conventions of Asian pop, more specifically Chinese pop, tend to be somewhat rigid. And oh, I’m glad I clicked on it. The song in question is Spring, released no more than a week ago. Indeed, it begins with a dance of chords, emphasizing its 5/4 meter. It’s somewhat repetitive and rhythmic, but this works perfectly, as Terence's voice soon enters with celerity, adding complexity and playfulness to the song.

Another element that’s difficult to find in this kind of music is high contrast. The photography presented in the song changes its frame approximately every thirty seconds. The instrumentation—rich in synthesizers and catchy percussion— disappears, only to reappear with even more energy in the next section. At the climax, this technique makes the overused approach of transposing the chorus up a half-step feels more emotional than the usual.

Terence’s voice takes on interesting inflections, with glissandos in the falsetto and other expressive nuances—something quite folksy. I’m actually really happy to have discovered him. I always feel tempted to share with friends unconventional composers like Oorutaichi and Shugo Tokumaru, who craft folk music with a unique use of electronic resources—things I’ve never heard from any other composer. But well... that same uniqueness very often scare people away.

Lam Terence, however, is a different case. He also plays with electronic instruments and samples in fascinating ways, incorporating folk elements and experimental structures. However, on the surface, his music still feels like conventional Asian pop —wrapped in a cute and emotional package, ready to be shared and enjoyed by almost anyone.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air in Asian pop, as well as those, like me, who enjoy that unusual combination of danceable but moving songs.

I love pop songs composed in 5/4"

 

 

 

Author: Martín Cacho

Martín is a video game composer, producer and writer from Sonora, México.