In 2021, multilingual, multitalented Taipei singer/producer The Crane signed to rapper ØZI’s Forbidden Paradise label and was nominated for a Golden Indie Music Award. In 2022, he released the EP Crane Garden, the culmination of two years of writing and production. There’s a notable maturity in this debut effort, benefiting from the artist’s experience touring with singer-songwriter HUSH’s live band and writing and producing for several other acts. The Crane (real name Taiyu Lin) describes the concept behind his blend of alt-R&B, indie pop and disco as “Western production, Eastern sensibility”—his flexible musical mind is equally adept at the bedroom sounds of “LIMO” and the skittery beats of “I Love You More (than adore)”. Over these soundscapes he croons lyrics that range from a humorous juxtaposition of the complexities of love with a bowl of noodles, to ruminations on early-career anxieties that name-check musical idols like Kanye West and Lizzo. Crane Garden is a snapshot of a versatile artist working hard to create a sonic landscape all his own.