Text: Tristan Bath

The second single from Taipei-based singer/songwriter/drummer L8ching (lei-ching) is a ray of sunshine, soulful Chinese crooning, and tropical-inspired rhythms. The multi-talented L8ching has appeared as a session artist for a variety of Taiwanese indie artists, such as Leo Wang, YELLOW, and Come On! BayBay!, and is also a member of Taiwanese music collective, Xueiyuan – a project bringing together musicians from differing backgrounds around the cause of crafting urban and groovy music. The delicate and moody sounds of Twin Flames however, sees L8ching emerging as a distinct voice in his local scene, somewhere between slacker twang and jazz-infused modern R&B; a humid evolution of 21st century grooves from Anderson .Paak, Hiatus Kaiyote, or Solange, fuelled by the creativity freely flowing in the Taiwanense capital.

The idea of Twin Flames refers to a couple conjoined by destiny; twin souls split across two bodies. The EP’s eponymous track rides a tropicalia bed of lilting guitar chords and laid back percussion, the 27 year-old’s voice slowly stretching out into an exquisite croon. The song was written under the influence of the late Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, inspiring L8ching’s ecstatic vocal performance from behind the kit. Lyrically, the song speaks of an emotional climax (rather than a sexual one), a warm embrace of pure love and unabashed romance. It segues into a spiralling – and crescendoing – mid-EP interlude. The flipside of Mint is the yin to Twin Flames’s yang, detailing a naive romance from L8ching’s days in junior high, continuing to interlace guitars and vocal harmonies between more beachside rhythms. The outcome is a soulful and addictive mish mash of intricate musicality from a young-yet-seasoned talent.

It’s no surprise that L8ching’s rich grooves and gentle hooky melodies have drawn attention outside his home country. 2019 saw the release of his Tiki-hop debut single, “Xin-Gan Baby", plus invitations to impressive performances at Primavera in Barcelona, and Japan’s Ringo Music Festival.