An impactful folk album from Haotian, Story of the Leaves melds serenely atmospheric appeal with heartfelt vocal work. Occasional doses of field recordings infuse within piano, guitar, and textured instrumentation — complemented by lyrical introspection that speaks to love, yearning, and the multitudes of emotions within the human experience. The project represents the work of Haotian Wang, an artist and songwriter from Yunnan, China.
The project’s sophomore album, Story of the Leaves captivates right away with opening track “Day.” Trickling acoustics and sporadic piano pair with intriguing clock-laden samples, seeming to ruminate on time within visions of tranquil nature. Gorgeous strings enter around mid-point, furthering the calmly enchanting production. The album’s title track follows, commencing with the start of an engine prior to the lush acoustic guitar entry. Textured swells emerge alongside the reflective vocals into the final section, once again showcasing Haotian’s knack for evolving folk atmosphere.
The highlights continue beyond there, from the beautifully meditative spaciousness within “Empty Freeway” to the ardent evolution of “East Coast.” The latter is especially riveting, weaving memorable strings gradually into an emotively enthralling second half, where guitars and orchestral maneuvers converge for a strong chamber-pop imprint. Story of the Leaves is a thorough success from Haotian.
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“Story of a Leaf” is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Folk.
