Adrian Leung‘s soundtrack score for Happy Palace is a sheer delight! A stunning mix of styles and performances to keep you listening until the end.
Happy Palace by Adrian Leung
Here’s some insight into his work:
I first started by listening to lots of different styles of Chinese music – Beijing opera, Cantopop, traditional drumming and most importantly, kuaiban, an ancient musical form where two clap sticks are hit in galloping rhythms to accompany rap-like storytelling.
I’d first heard of this at the Panjiayuan Antique Market whilst living in Beijing and was drawn to the playing technique and sound. After absorbing all this music I wanted to make sure my score would integrate it but transform and flip them into something new and original.
I played Chinese instruments in unorthodox ways, sampled a Pianodrome grand piano installation in a shopping mall, recorded kitchen sounds for percussive cues and put instruments through different speakers and filters. I also worked with two incredible musicians, Liu Qing (erhu, kuaiban) and Ling Tse (vocals) who happily went on this whacky journey with me. I feel they both took the music to a different level and am so thankful they are a part of this.
ADRIAN LEUNG
Mastering by John Elleson-Hartley.