By the time he started working on From M.E. To Myself, JJ Lin had already spent a decade establishing himself as one of Singapore’s premier pop stars. As a singer, writer, and record maker, he was ready to challenge himself and his audience by trying something truly new. That’s why this record is subtitled Experimental Debut Album, despite it being Lin’s 12th LP. He decided to utilize a complex binaural recording method called “dummy head” technology, whereby a human-size dummy is fitted with microphones where the ears would be to simulate a sort of “3-D” sound experience. Lin dubbed his dummy “M.E.” (hence the album title) and transported it to multiple atmospheric recording locations. The end result is akin to accompanying Lin on a trip through parts of his world both public and personal. “A Song for You till the End of Time,” for instance, sounds as if it’s being sung in close proximity to a running shower, while the hushed “By Your Side” opens with some rustling and a whisper that explain the track’s “Bedtime” subtitle. “Lier and Accuser” was seemingly recorded during a trip to the beach, arriving in between the audio vérité excerpts “Beach Arrival” and “Beach Departure.” Many of these tunes have minimalist arrangements featuring just vocal and acoustic guitar. And even though “Adolescent” eventually works up to some rapping, the hip-hop and funky R&B influences prevalent in Lin’s previous work are pushed to the back burner this time around in favor of a ballads-first agenda. With so much balladry going on, Lin’s pure, sweet crooning is naturally front and center throughout From M.E. To Myself, which doesn’t hurt the proceedings a bit. Idiomatically, the record makes plenty of sense within the stylistic continuum of Lin’s catalog. But as far as its concept and its construction are concerned, the album represents an adventurous, searching spirit that would keep the Mandopop superstar’s work fresh for a long time to come.
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- Eason Chan