THE WIDOW ZHENG: PEARL RIVER

01 · Flower Boat (Pearl River, 1801)

Plucked guzheng over lapping Pearl River water, slow and elegant, then a hard switch into sleek deep house, warm analog bass, soft shuffling hats

★ KEEPER (provisional) · take1 · new ending 1 · 2:18 · sung 9/19 lines · ending fades

take1 · new ending 2 · 2:24 · sung 9/19 lines · ending may cut off

take1 · 1:34 · sung 9/19 lines · ending may cut off

take2 · new ending 1 · 2:14 · sung 9/19 lines · ending may cut off

take2 · new ending 2 · 2:08 · sung 9/19 lines · ending fades

take2 · 1:28 · sung 9/19 lines · ending may cut off

02 · Zheng Yi (The Ring and the Ledger)

Mournful erhu and Cantonese opera gongs and wood block, slow, then a hard switch into driving tech house, rolling bassline, tight percussive hats

★ KEEPER (provisional) · take2 · 3:02 · sung 18/19 lines · ending fades

take1 · 2:44 · sung 17/19 lines · ending fades

03 · Six Flags (One Red)

Dizi bamboo flute and heavy ship's drums with a slow Cantonese opera cymbal pattern, then a hard switch into dark tech house, big low end, clipped stabs

★ KEEPER (provisional) · take1 · 2:37 · sung 19/19 lines · ending fades

take2 · new ending 1 · 1:28 · sung 6/19 lines · ending may cut off

take2 · new ending 2 · 1:22 · sung 6/19 lines · ending fades

take2 · 0:54 · sung 7/19 lines · ending may cut off

04 · Sixteenth of November (The Gale)

Solo erhu with wind and heavy sea, very slow and sparse, then a hard switch into dark hypnotic deep house, sub bass, long reverb pads, restrained kick

★ KEEPER (tie, your ear decides) · take2 · 3:08 · sung 18/19 lines · ending fades

take1 · 3:19 · sung 18/19 lines · ending fades

05 · The Widow Takes the Helm (Zhang Bao)

Cantonese opera percussion, gongs, cymbals and wood block in a slow ceremonial pattern, then a hard switch into peak-time tech house, punchy kick, acid-tinged bassline

★ KEEPER (provisional) · take1 · 1:52 · sung 19/19 lines · ending fades

take2 · new ending 1 · 2:17 · sung 14/19 lines · ending fades

take2 · new ending 2 · 2:31 · sung 14/19 lines · ending may cut off

take2 · 1:51 · sung 14/19 lines · ending may cut off