Canary Complex' Album "A Whisper of Spring" Radiates Elegance

Each track off this record will make vibrant colors pop, or a scenery that solo project Canary Complex paints in every listener’s mind. This album being his brainchild is an understatement, as it really does feel like every instrument is plucked and every word is written and arranged with precision, not to mention pure skill with how immersive “A Whisper of Spring” is.

There’s nothing better than genres mixed and experimented with together, creating sounds no one ever deemed possible. This one gives off chamber pop and progressive rock, as if everything there is to know about both worlds are used in a unique way within these songs.

Starting strong with “Corsets Fall”, the overall intensity of each component is combined to perfection that the probability of getting lost in the music is relatively high. There’s something powerful about the vocals once it comes into play; the drums – not to be dramatic – are exceptional. The different tempos and methods seamlessly blend in with the continuous flow of melody. The line “sadness became your work of art” seems to be an ‘enough said’ statement, proven true through these songs.

“The Face of God” has gentle beginnings before the main event of sound starts up. The dynamics are great, leaving you pleasantly perplexed between each switch-up. “Oh, the world is dizzy as you start to spin / Pirouette between the people that you’ve been, / I’ve seen those faces, I’ve loved each one” has a beautiful connotation and revelation to it.

Similarly, “Seance” shares the same energy in terms of components; plus, the effects in this song just go harmoniously well together like puzzle pieces. Vocals booming, sounding like it’s preaching, and by the end of it, we come to realize that it’s all self-explanatory, from the title to everything else. The delivery of “I miss you all the time” is devastating.

Moving forward, “Hyacinthine” begins with a catchy hook, just like all its neighboring songs. The piano grabs you by the collar, sitting you down so you could listen to it in full. Everything uttered in the lyrics gives you a vivid image of what’s described and brought to life; the vocals perfectly mellow, allowing you to do just that. Plus, the vision of this song being played at an empty stage, arena, or space with just the singer and his piano comes to mind. The way the key change was handled was endearing – it adds character to these songs and the artist himself.

One key factor about this record are the French chansons. The references are utilized well, which deems the decision of incorporating them being great. “Déshabillez-Moi” directly translates to ‘undress me’, to which the brass-like introduction and the intimacy in the air would start to make sense. It all sounds cheerful yet fitting to the theme; the interlude consists of a marimba or xylophone-like solo, and the fact that you could still significantly hear the bass amidst everything else is a nice touch.

“Papillon ~Snow Angel~” immediately gives off a cozy café kind of vibe. The word papillon means ‘butterfly’ in French, and just like the last chanson, all meaning unfolds once you get ahold of that knowledge. Once the vocals make themselves known once more, the tune starts to feel like something you could dance to – this thought is proven right by the interludes sounding so complex and hip-sway worthy. Next, “Pierrot (deep sky)” is deeply intimate, like it’s reaching outward to express and send the message. Pierrot, upon searching, is a fictional pantomime that’s related to hiding one’s true feelings. The words overall do sound like thoughts, or things someone wouldn’t usually say out loud: “I tried not to wake you when I left you this morning / The promise of dawn came through a soft, pink sunrise”.

Lastly, “It’s Up To You” is the eight track, upbeat like it’s intended to end the album with a bang. The following line of “Do you remember how sentimental and existential I become with too much time alone?” is weirdly beautiful and relatable, but it could also apply as a question to the audience who have just listened to this record front to back. From the beginning up to the end, each instrument remained consistently mesmerizing, and the quality did not falter at all.

The first few seconds of listening came with a few realizations: one, there would be a lot of people that dig this kind of music, and two, people who aren’t that fond of it have a great chance of enjoying this record nevertheless.