Flesh & Fears

Flesh and Fears, the first album from Kenny Choi's solo project Wolftron, is a significant (but not total) departure from the harder sounds of the Choi-helmed group Daphne Loves Derby. While his band has its own strengths, Wolftron leaves them behind and focuses exclusively on Choi, for good reason — the aggressive rhythms and guitar riffs that punctuate the band's songs may have been stripped away, but Choi's gentle, dreamy delivery and his ability to infuse his music with a wistful atmosphere remain. He also shows continued promise as a songwriter both lyrically and melodically on this album, and Flesh and Fears gives him a chance to explore a penchant for introspection that is both poignant and organic. Nothing feels forced here, and it's worth noting that Choi expresses plenty of emotion without becoming overly emotional — no easy feat in a time when music infused with copious drama has become the norm. Most of the mood is accomplished with vocals and instrumentation that are light, breezy and shimmering, and Choi is at his ethereal best with songs such as "Beautybird," a lush piece that features guitar, bass, percussion, piano and strings, but is made whole merely through the use of layered vocal harmonies. However, the vocalist is just as effective in a more austere setting. On "Stones," Choi's delivery manages to be delicate and consistently clear, even when singing in whispers over a subdued guitar line. While the lyrics on Flesh and Fears can be a bit heavy handed at times (the self-pitying "Sugar Skulls" being a prime example), the rest of the album's merits are enough to carry it beyond such gaffes, making for a breezy, beautiful listen.