San Francisco-based musician Michelle Zheng leads Lunar Noon, a collective of talented instrumentalists from the Bay Area and beyond, allowing Zheng to weave a deeply personal narrative through her genre-defying sound. Her music resists easy classification, blending elements of classical, electronic, jazz, choral, and Chinese folk traditions to create a rich tapestry of sound.
In her sophomore album ‘A Circle’s Round’, set for release on November 15th, Zheng delivers another introspective journey. The 66-minute, 14-track record explores her quest for peace, with each track offering a unique sonic meditation. From the opening moments, listeners are transported into Zheng’s world, where nature plays a central role. The album frequently draws from the sounds of water and the forest that have surrounded Zheng’s life along California’s coast, adding layers of atmosphere and meaning to her compositions.
The opening track, “With and Without,” features a recording of a creek from the woods of her childhood, symbolizing the overarching theme of the album: that like a circle, life always returns to its beginning. Rather than evoking simple nostalgia, Zheng uses these natural sounds to emphasize the cyclical nature of existence, grounding the listener in both place and philosophy. *A Circle’s Round* is a thoughtful, immersive experience, inviting listeners to reflect on their own journeys alongside Zheng’s.
