Orange Moon (Hong Kong Version)

Like the first half of Wonderland, Orange Moon moves along in a very consistent tone throughout, with not much in terms of a climax. Instead, it moves in a smooth pace, not varying much in tempo and style. Setting up that tone is the R&B ballad Singalongsong (Track 1), Khalil's first English-language song (though a Mandarin version marks the end of the album) that's thematically similar to Love Song, Wonderland's opening track. Like Love Song, Singalongsong features a composition that affects with its simplicity, even though some of the Khalil-penned English lyrics can be a bit awkward.

Wonderland's stylistic influences included R&B legends such as Marvin Gaye and Al Green, despite the inclusion of electronic-dance and rap. While the general western R&B influence remains in Orange Moon, Khalil also shows off his love for John Mayer's guitar-driven soul style with the mid-tempo tracks. 1234567 (Track 3) is a breezy mid-tempo song with an acoustic guitar-driven arrangement that would be fitting for a John Mayer cover. Though the guitar sound doesn't match seamlessly with the bass-driven, R&B sound of the rest of the album, it tonally fits in a perfectly natural fashion.

While most pop albums deserve a nearly track-by-track analysis because of its broad range of genres, Orange Moon has such a naturally consistent tone throughout that it takes a considerable amount of time to distinguish each track. Unlike most pop albums, Orange Moon is best appreciated when taken in as a complete experience. Khalil's songwriting has matured greatly, eschewing eye-catching genre homage for a fluid album that has high replay value.

The song that stands out the most is first radio plug "If Love" (Track 5). Placed right in the middle of the album, the striking mix of horns, piano, and bass sets the song apart immediately from the rest. The rest is a breezy number produced in the style of a late 70s R&B track by American R&B-pop acts such as Lionel Richie or Stevie Wonder that also fits Khalil's voice. Even though "If Love" is easily the most memorable track of the album, it's also segued seamlessly from previous track "Black and White" (Track 4).

In addition to "If Love", Khalil continues to pay tribute to the greats throughout, even though they're more subtle this time around. The most obvious (and the most enjoyable one) is the mid-tempo "One Hundred Kinds of Expression" (Track 9). The funky R&B song is obviously aiming for the style of a late 60s, early 70s track from Stevie Wonder or any Motown artist (even though the traditional horns are replaced by a strings section). The result is refreshing in its breeziness, but nostalgic in its ability to strike up memories of the classic genre.

In fact, "If Love" perfectly epitomizes the general tone of the album. Though the lyrics (co-written by Fong and Vivian Hsu) are about the struggles of love and its potentially devastating effects, the musical tone of the album is overall light and relaxing. While Khalil's previous albums are presented in the style of a cocktail platter varying in strength, Orange Moon is like a glass of ice bourbon that goes down smoothly in small sips. Though criticisms about Khalil going pop due to the amount of ballads is certainly guaranteed, he hasn't actually abandoned his signature style to make more commercially appealing music. Instead, he works within the genre, producing a sound that leans closer to easy listening. It shows his evolution as a musician, finding a compromise between what he wants to make and what the listeners want to hear.

Orange Moon brings Khalil the closest to crossing into pop music territory. Even though the album is even stronger musically than his previous works, it also brings him dangerously close to being compared to established R&B-pop musicians David Tao and Leehom Wang. Khalil has already captured a niche with his previous three albums, and what he needs to do is mature his style within it. The reason that Khalil is one of the best young musicians working in Chinese-language music is not only the fact that he makes great music; it's also because he has proven that Western R&B doesn't need to be watered down for a pop audience to be successful in the Chinese language. Now Orange Moon proves that Khalil can change the formula for a pop audience without losing its spirit. As long as he remains faithful to his inspiration, Khalil Fong can still do no wrong.

by Kevin Ma