Imagine Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon scored by the Cocteau Twins, Alive is a mix of Tibetan, Mandarin and Sanskrit built around traditional Chinese folk music but exquisitely executed with refined use of programmed electronic sounds and beats in tandem with Chinese instrumentation creating a totally original blend. The songs are inventive and adventurous, as she switches between soulful ballads and gutsy Tibetan influenced chanting. One of the hardest things to achieve is the marriage between modern arrangement and traditional instrumentation and melodies. On " Alive" Sa Dingding has achieved this with exceptional grace.