Hong Kong duo at17's Over the Rainbow series comes to an impressive conclusion with their fourth and final Vol. 4 blue EP. The EP's main plug "Nothing To My Name But Love" (Track 1) is the kind of feel-good guitar pop number that the duo excels at, sending out a bright and wistful message in harmonized voices. Wyman Wong's mellow, earthy lyrics about being poor in money, but rich in love and music are clearly personalized for the girls, and reflect the tone of not only this EP but the whole album series. The harmonica accompaniment, ear-pleasing harmonization, and catchy composition make for a bright, fresh, and eminently likable song.

The next track, smoky lounge-inspired Mandarin number "When the Last Apple Falls Off the Tree" (Track 2), is a bit of a lost opportunity. Ellen Loo's composition and Eman Lam's lyrics are a great match, familiar yet fresh, old yet new. Jason Choi's arrangement is even better, breaking out of the expected with a burst of percussion and programming midway through that completely contrasts with the lingering legato melody. What falls short though are the vocals. Though at17 does a decent enough job with their wispy rendition, the deliberate effort to emulate an old-time singing style evokes the sound but not quite the soul of its bygone inspirations. The song would be better served by an artist with stronger, huskier, and more mature vocals (although I am admittedly having trouble coming up with another current Hong Kong female artist up to the task).

A better attempt to evoke and update a mildly nostalgic sound, "At Peace" (Track 3) builds on a simple melody with just a hint of traditional folk, and sets clear, almost childlike vocals over crinkly vinyl effects to establish the song's lyrical mood. Like in "When the Last Apple", the background programming suddenly shifts to a more dynamic tone to successfully contrast and complement the mellow singing.

The two remaining songs in the EP are not originals, but remix and cover tracks. The new remix version of "Still, Dear" (Track 4) opts for a funkier arrangement than the original's guitar pop, with less tambourine, more sax, and the addition of Rebecca Pan for the storytelling intro. Though I slightly prefer the original, this remix version is a pleasant alternative. at17 signs out with a cover of the classic He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. They go for a clean and straightforward rendition, accompanied by acoustic guitar and some choral singing in the end. It's nothing new, but still very much worth a listen.

Vol. 4 may not be the strongest release of the series, but it's a fine finale for at17's Over the Rainbow project, which started back in summer 2008. As a whole, the Over the Rainbow series is an admirable achievement for the singer-songwriter duo, and another testament to the creative power of People Mountain People Sea (and maybe the commercial power of cute but clunky packaging). It's satisfying to be able to add the final disc to the Over the Rainbow CD case included from Vol. 1 - though getting the entire collection to fit does require some finesse.