‘Departure’ is the third full-length album from Belle Chen. It marks her departure from the realm of pure classical music - furthering the transitioning from her previous album Mademoiselle, whilst keeping to the theme of travel from her EITO Music catalogue.

The album fuses piano and sound design with an emphasis on original music, where Chen explores adapting traditional music and sounds from around the world to the western piano through extended technique. Traditional instrumental ensembles are recreated on a single piano, and Chen draws from the piano the unexpected sounds ranging from gongs, bells, cajon, guitar, guqin, and guiro – multi-tracked to form her very own band.

Chen plays piano, prepared piano, toy piano, kalimba, melodica, and sound design on this recording, where she composed all tracks except track 11, which is by Piazzolla. One can catch a glimpse of Chen’s classical background in fleeting moments where familiar classical melodies are quoted and manipulated. Belle’s vision is to explore how sounds from the ‘real world’ can be integrated into the realm of classical music to create a different listening experience.

“Original and provocative” – Brian Eno

“Hugely impressive - have a listen, she’s terrific” – James Rhodes

Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Pagi (Morning)
3. Shan (Mountain)
4. Shui (Water)
5. Interlude: Waterfall
6. Chasing the Chirinda Apalis
7. Canción to the Passing Train
8. Déjà Vu
9. Tito Tries to Light a Fire (Homage to Modest Mussorgsy and Tito Puente)
10. Interlude: Palmas in the Corridor
11. Milonga del Angel (Piazzolla)
12. Departure
13. Unmapped