With the band Dama Scout, singer Eva Liu inhabits a surreal world; a point between sleeping and waking that juxtaposes a sense of danger in the music with her pillowy-soft voice that seems weightless against the backing. ‘Ghost With A Peach Skin’ is a solo release as her musical alter-ego mui zyu and taken from the forthcoming album Rotten Bun for an Eggless Century.
Big electronic raindrops fall at the start of the track accompanied by the ‘boom-tsch’ of a blown-out drum machine all swathed in a kaleidoscope of synthesiser washes and sprinkles plus sampled and treated guzheng (a Chinese plucked zither). Lui’s voice threads like caramel throughout, with notes occasionally suspended between major and minor creating the feeling that you’re riding a gentle rollercoaster, and this is coupled with the dreamlike poetry of the lyrics: “Feel the bruises. Changing shape. You’re the ghost with a peach skin. Bitter melon dies. Takes you to see the ghost with a peach skin” (full lyrics below).
Eva says the song is about “leaving your former self and entering your new peach skin. Peaches are considered a symbol of longevity and even immortality in Chinese culture. The protagonist has overcome enemies and has bruises to prove the damage. However, the bruised peach becomes stronger by overcoming them. The song features guzheng samples that have been highly edited and mangled. We liked the idea of having an excellent musician improvise on the traditional Chinese zither and ‘bruising’ their performance with distortion and effects to create a new stronger sound with little of its former self present – much like the meaning of the song. The ‘ghost’ inside refers to the ghost we used to be, the ghosts we carry with us and the ghosts we have to overcome too.”
Eva worked with the collective CLUMP on the video (they provide “a one-stop visual service for bands and artists”) and they always produce visually arresting content. They say, “We loved the mix of dreamy and fun that is ‘Ghost With A Peach Skin’, and we were keen to make a video that reflected this. Our studio became cardboard hell for a couple weeks, the disconcerting Pickle was birthed, and we kidnapped Eva and Lucci from London for the weekend. We’re so proud of the heart-warming tale of platonic love between woman and peach-dog that emerged.”
You can pre-order the album from all good record shops: list here
mui zyu is supporting Hinako Omori on November 9th in London at St. Matthias Church, tickets here and also playing at the Servant’s Jazz Quarters, London, on 1st March 2023, tickets here
mui zyu socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Website |
Video credits:
Direction / Editing / Grading / Set and Prop Design and Construction: CLUMP Collective
Styling: Fern Bradie Dee
Makeup: Sian Leadbeater
BTS: Holly DeLooze
Lyrics
Cry laughing gas
The roots are kissing over me
Pull hearts apart
Limb from
Limb from limb
Feel the bruises
Changing shape
You’re the ghost with a peach skin
Bitter melon dies
Takes you to
See the ghost with a peach skin
Hope medicates
I know you’ve not been feeling great
Pulling apart
Limb from
Limb from limb
Feel the bruises
Changing shape
You’re the ghost with a peach skin
Bitter melon dies
Takes you to
See the ghost with a peach skin
See the ghost
See the ghost
Feel the bruises
Changing shape
You’re the ghost with a peach skin
Bitter melon dies
Takes you to
See the ghost with a peach skin
Review by Paul F Cook
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