On 30 September 2022, Sea Island & Ferry releases a new EP As if - II. The Deep End. It is a follow up to As if - I. In-Between, the first EP in the series. The group also puts out a new vinyl album As if on the same day, including both EPs on its two sides. 

“We planned the two EPs as one project, knowing that they will end up on the same vinyl record, but we also decided to release them  as separate digital EPs and CDs one after the other, because of their very different nature,” said Arnold Fang, pianist and convenor of the ensemble.

While In-Between has very much been a soundtrack to the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition with the same title, The Deep End is a suite created based on an imaginary funeral at sea.

“We had the idea of creating music for a funeral since the early days of playing together, and this was actualized after hearing from people who had the experience of bidding farewell to their loved ones at sea,” said Arnold 

With a running time of more than 23 minutes, “The Deep End” contains 6 tracks. They can be seen as separate titles, or as one full suite that is longer than any work that Sea Island & Ferry has released to-date.

While orchestrating the ceremony, and writing most of the tracks himself, Arnold played various roles in getting other members involved. Among these was a letter that he wrote in the voice of the significant other of a deceased person, asking Tim Tong, cellist of the ensemble to deliver a musical eulogy, now titled “Blossoms”. 

“Stories of the past are like blossoms of beautiful flowers — they may be short-lived, but by remembering them, those remaining also get healed, and receive the hope to live on,” said Tim. 

“The Deep End” arrives at a time when most of us have experienced grief and loss in different ways. But in a city where sea funerals are often seen as a solution to land scarcity, there is more that the ensemble would like to convey by creating this work. 

“There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all ceremony that works for everyone, and we should always have room for personalisation and creativity in honour of the special someone that we are trying to remember,” remarked Arnold.  

i. Call | ii. 在所難免 Mortals | iii. 盛放有時 Blossoms |
iv.
沉降 Sinking In | v. 回家 Way Home | vi. 餘響 Recall

CD: SIF-CD-004  / LP: SIF-LP-005 

(Releases 2022.9.30)


i. Call 

ii. 在所難免 Mortals 

iii. 盛放有時 Blossoms
iv.
沉降 Sinking In 

v. 回家 Way Home 

vi. 餘響 Recall

CD: SIF-CD-004  

 LP: SIF-LP-005 

(Released 2022.9.30)


本地純音樂組合「海島小輪」於2022930日推出全新EPAs if - II. The Deep End 往深》。這是繼《As if - I. In-Between》之後推出,屬於同系列的新作。同日,「海島小輪」亦推出一張名為《As if》的黑膠唱片,收錄上面兩張EP的樂曲。

鋼琴手與召集人方欣浩(Arnold Fang) 指:「兩張EP同屬一個錄音企劃,我們亦早已決定將它們收錄在一張黑膠唱片之中。但它們同時亦擁有不同的性質,因此我們亦將之分成兩張不同的網上EPCD,相隔一段時間先後推出。

前篇的《In-Between可以看作目前於香港藝術館舉辦之「行行重行行」展覽的原聲大碟。至於這次推出的後篇《往深》,則是為一場虛擬海葬儀式而創作的組曲。

Arnold 說:「自『海島小輪』組成之初,我們已有為喪禮創作音樂的想法。我也嘗試理解朋友以不同方式跟摯愛道別的感受,才開始創作這次的組曲。」

《往深》共分為6個樂章。大家可以把們視為獨立的樂曲,亦可以當作一整件作品來欣賞。組曲全長超過23分鐘,遠遠超越了「海島小輪」之前發表過的任何作品。

雖然組曲的大部分樂章都由Arnold 負責創作,但他亦透過「角色扮演」令隊友有更多的投入和參與。其中之一,就是以先人配偶的名義寫信,邀請「飾演」先人摯友的大提琴手湯正行 (Tim Tong) 為昔日良朋獻上「悼詞」,然後就有了《盛放有時》這個樂篇。

Tim 表示:「回顧先人過去的燦爛片段,就如細賞花開短暫的美,可以為留下來的人醫治傷痛,讓他們有盼望地活下去。」

這幾年,我們之間有不少人都經歷著不同意味的失去和哀悼。但同時,香港亦嚴重缺少土地,海葬往往被視為這個問題的一種解決方式。因此,除了作為一種陪伴,「海島小輪」亦希望透過《往深》,表達多一種思考。

「道別的方式不應變得行禮如儀。我們需要足夠空間去為逝去的親友做點與別不同的事,或透過各類的創作來表達對他們的懷念。」Arnold 說。


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