00 - Secret Luminescence.nfo
General Information
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Album: Secret Luminescence
Artist: Lucia Hwong
Copyright: 1987
Genre: Progressive Music
File Information
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Number of Tracks: 6
Total Duration: 0:41:17
Ripped By: NMR
Files Created on: 16-Oct-2014 23:52:12
NFO Created: 28-Oct-2014 16:01:32
Posting
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Reposting Rules: Send any notes/comments to the .new-age group or I won't see it.
Track List
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File Size MB Duration File Name
1 34.59 0:07:10 01 Poetry And Passion
2 22.90 0:04:41 02 Generic Actress #3
3 41.68 0:08:35 03 Lunar Seas
4 26.11 0:05:31 04 Body Current
5 42.70 0:08:28 05 Loretta's Dance
6 27.24 0:06:52 06 Paper Angels
Description
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Like many forms of world music, Asian music (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai,
or Vietnamese) has both its traditionalists and its forward thinkers. Lucia
Hwong is among the forward thinkers; Secret Luminescence, her second album, has
one foot in Asian culture and the other in the Western, non-Asian world. The
composer/arranger was never an Asian purist; this 1987 release
isn't traditional Asian music, but rather, combines Asian elements (Chinese and otherwise) with new age and electronica. Hwong's
haunting, evocative offerings are essentially instrumental; wordless background
vocals are sometimes employed, but for all intents and purposes, Secret
Luminescence is an instrumental album. Throughout this memorable effort, Hwong
favors an electronic/acoustic contrast. Synthesizers are a big part of her
sound, but so are traditional Asian instruments that range from Tibetan bells
(which the Southern Californian plays herself) to the shakuhachi (a bamboo
flute that was invented in China but has been
Japan's most prominent wind instrument for centuries). And it all blends together nicely; on Secret Luminescence, high-tech 1980s synthesizers sound perfectly natural alongside Asian instruments that were invented centuries before Hwong was even born. Because Hwong's
music is as calm and tranquil as it is, Secret Luminescence is highly regarded
in new age circles. But this album is a lot meatier and a lot more substantial
than much of the instrumental music that was considered new age in 1987; Secret
Luminescence isn't elevator Muzak, and it doesn't require listeners to turn
their brains off. Although Hwong's best, most essential work came out in the 1990s, this is an enjoyable sophomore effort.
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