Birthday gift

Composer Du Yun's new album, produced by Modern Sky, comes amid the pandemic.

Composer Du Yun's latest work, A Cockroach's Tarantella, is a six-minute musical and video based on an earlier longer piece. With animation by Julian Crouch, music for the new work has been composed by Du for string quartet and narration.

"I have been pregnant for as long as I can remember … I do not, however, remember the last time I used my scent to attract my husband. It has been too long. Because theologically, (well, theologically), you see, we don't need to mate that often. It's not required by the law," Du narrates in the role of a female cockroach.

"I am bored with this life … My biggest wish is to be our enemy, the humans. They seem to have a good life. You see, from what I have heard they say that most of the human women are pregnant out of love."

The piece is the title work of Du's latest album released by Modern Sky, an indie record label in China.