Favourite Song #8 - Love long distance - Gossip

Gossip did it - the gay anthem. One part big house piano riff, one part trancey disco synth, mix with a steady 4/4 beat, plus a pinch of heartbreak and a huge cup of soulful voice. It's as good as billie ray martin and eve gallagher.

2 weekends 3 instruments which charmed my socks off and moved my heart

I was in Kuching at the Rainforest World Music Festival last weekend and heard for the first time the sape. This is a traditional Borneo instrument. It was a hot and humid evening on the second day of the festival, and the quiet melodies flowing from the trio of Lan-E Tuyang provided a very much welcomed relief from the heat.

Back in Singapore, I went to the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's performance of Reminiscences of Yunnan composed by Liu Xing with Liu Xing himself on zhongruan and Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo with Manuel Barrueco on guitar. Both concertos are the first of their kinds in their days to feature the respective instruments prominently for solo performance. Incidentally, the second movements of both concertos always moved me with their sense of loss and regret.

The thing was I could have listened to Liu Xing performed this very concerto in Singapore more than 10 years ago. But I couldn't or rather didn't because I had to study for a school test the day after. How silly of us.

It isn't everyday that I have a second chance. A lot has changed but the music remains the same.

Favourite Song #7 - Heavy cross - Gossip

In our imperfect world, Beth Ditto would never be a Bond girl but is it too much to have a Gossip song for a Bond theme song? Let it happen soon!

Meanwhile, here's the new major label single from Gossip. It's great to hear that Gossip has not abandoned its soul/disco/punk roots. Still sounds like it's made in a garage... just a nicer garage.