Over the Sea/Under the Water

這張手工EP，滴點著Cicada的輪廓：夜晚人行道上的小貓，從執嬌、殘傷、至重新適應，由她窗，以鋼琴撫出離家時雀躍腳步的音弧。回憶裡，相聚不易的家族旅行，喜悅振膊高飛，感情倏地俯衝。習將過往樂音存錄，不願以小調述悲傷，也不見大調說愉樂。沒有情緒是完整無缺，有砂、霧糊，亦不純粹。人永遠在過去和當下間拉扯，即使故事傷挫，不滿其意，仍要勇敢地繼續走下去。 Cicada始由江致潔，曾做過五年的流行樂手，卻堅決應該走出自己的路，尋找欣賞自己的聽眾。有兩年，她將鋼琴緊闔，塵漫，像隻待蛻的秋蟬，來些晚、也待些慢。直至那夜，邂逅了捷運站的家貓，從此開啟了與音樂的另一段旅程，嶄新之扉頁。2010年三月，首次亞洲巡迴的O'lafur Arnalds來台演出，同為首演的Cicada，即擔綱開場的重要角色。 〈竹圍小貓〉記錄一隻貓的流浪，作者和牠交會，亦是她與音樂的再遇；〈浮游在海上的島嶼／潛伏於水下的人們〉，悼念莫拉克水災的亡靈和悲慟；〈用羽毛織出一條淡藍色的小徑〉曲調歡悅，是件久違家族旅行的小品；〈以一種假裝放蕩的矜持 與你告別〉的情思飽滿，有怨、有慕，有泣、也有訴，其靈感來自劉盈君的詩句，與〈告別／再見〉及〈最後 仍在一起〉等三首，堪稱作者的感情自傳。 秋蟬撥開兩載凍土，從平時生活和層層記憶之中，理出方向，溯出創作的靈感。因緣際會下，漸聚集一群志同道合的戰友。其實，這群人非音樂科班出身，各自也塵封過心中的那把琴。然而，EP的出世，不就證明著她們蛻變，叼整著翅膀，開始振翅遨遊？Cicada的宣告成立，不也為最明白、最誠實的表述嗎？ 文／林正尉 Cicada from Taiwan was formed in 2009 consists of violin, cello, acoustic guitar, and piano. It's named after Cicada because people are aware of cicada's existence by their sound instead of forms.  “Over the Sea/Under the Water” is the debut EP of Cicada. Recorded live in the living room, the EP was hand crafted by Jesy Chiang. Narrative is one of the subjects in Cicada's music and inspiration normally came from daily life. The opening is a tribute to the Morakot typhoon victims as well as an expression toward Taiwanese political standing. The last three songs tell a story from a couple's separation to reunion. Throughout the naming, orchestration, and the composition, Cicada's music creates beautiful images for audiences.