East to West Coco Lee (CD)
Coco Lee has taken about two years to complete her new album East to West, which, as the title suggests, blends Western elements with her Eastern origins. Unfortunately, the blend is unsurprising.
The album design is eye-catching, but somewhat cliched - it's very much a 'Westernised' Chinese design, with a pseudo-Chinese symbol combining the characters for 'East' and 'West'.
Opener Love Now is a repeat of Jay Sean's Maybe. It's one of those upbeat dance songs typical of Lee: It will get you moving, but if you know Sean's track, it's difficult not to feel you've been ripped off. Other tracks such as Party Time, BYOB, Already Loved and Ready or Not are more examples of the danceable and classic Lee.
The only surprises are the two tracks composed and arranged by singer-songwriter Khalil Fong. If this seems an unusual collaboration, remember Lee actually possesses a fantastically strong voice. Beautiful Theme Song has a clean, acoustic soul background, while Three Hearts is a calm, retro number that suits Lee's voice perfectly. Let's hope this is a new direction for Lee.
