DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Nine is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into.
For the 26th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Eka Rock.
• Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniHere comes another soulful, amazing, honey-voiced chanteuse on the Indonesian music scene: ladies and gentlemen, we give you Jemima. With a mix of Malaysian, Japanese, Javanese, and Chinese blood, this multi-colored beauty has just released her self-titled debut album, Jemima.
Released by demajors Independent Music Industry, her first ever track "Musik Sepi" was a protest song about the music situation in Indonesia. The song itself was based on her view about the current music scene that she saw right after she just got back from the US, having studied music production at Berklee College of Music.
In this sensual soul-oriented album Jemima is not only the singer, she's also the producer, writer, arranger, even plays keyboard. Her friends, Fajar Adi Nugroho, Torank Ambarita, and Aditya Wibowo, support her for the rest of the album, taking care of the bass, guitar and drum department.
Check out her MySpace page by typing "djemima" or simply grab a copy of her her album from any good record shops, or by contacting demajors directly.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Nine is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into.
For the 25th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Janet DeNeefe.
・Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniThis project has received a load of hype on Indonesian music scene after one of their song, "Sunshine" (featuring Sashi), was chosen to be part of the soundtrack of a local box-office movie, Catatan Harian Si Boy. Almost at the same time, the other single, "Conversation" (featuring Imela Kei and Rayen), became a radio favorite when it hit the music charts.
This coming October Amanda and Friends are scheduled to release their debut album temporarily titled The Journey Called A. While waiting for the album to be released, go check reverberation and YouTube, type in "Amanda and Friends" to check out some of their music.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 24th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Stevie Item.
・Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniYouTube has worked its magic again. This time the digital miracle happened to Raisa. An upload of her acoustic performance of "Serba Salah" with her back-up band in late 2010 met with a quick and very positive response from the public. By early 2011, more than a hundred thousand people had already viewed her video. Thinking that this was her time to pursue her dream, the former back-up singer for RAN decided to step forward. Several weeks ago, she finally released her much-anticipated debut album, Raisa.
Produced by Asta (RAN) and Handy + Rio (Soulvibe), and released by Universal Music Indonesia, the album consists of 9 songs by the 21-year-old lady, with mostl moving in the direction of pop with a touch of R&B. It seems she is not far behind her idols, such as India Arie, Brian McKnight, Steve Wonder, Joss Stone, Alicia Keys, etc. Her music "career", which started when she was three years old, singing "A Whole New World" has now become a serious business.
In case you haven't seen it, go check out her much-talked video, by going on to YouTube, typing "Serba Salah", and witnessing it yourself. If you like it, that's the only beginning.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 23rd edition I went upclose-and-personal with Che Cupumanik.
ã»Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniThe frontman of loud, noisy, anarchistic band Teenage Death Star, Sir Dandy Harrington, has made another brave move, publishing a solo album called Lesson # 1. What makes this so brave is the fact that Sir Dandy has known to play guitar for only three years.
Sir Dandy has said that the creation of the album, which was released through Organic Records and produced by Widi Puradiredja, was like passing a national exam after three years of study.
Offering "Jakarta Motor City" as his first formal single, on the heels of the free-for-download "Juara Dunia", all the compositions on Lesson #1 are folk-based. The lyrics are blunt, spontaneous, in-your-face, funny, urban, simple, light, and a bit nihilistic. Sir Dandy is not worried about his singing. He says that even his voice is sometimes discordant, at least he's brutally honest and original.
For further online info about Sir Dandy go check www.theone-management.com
⢠Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniWith too much monkey business in their heads, Superglad released their fifth album, Cinta dan Nafsu. Over eleven songs, this Jakartan quartet follow the path of their overflowing libidos. The lyrics of songs like " Enny Arrow", "Mas Tur dan Mba Sri", "Sofa Merah Percintaan", are pure testoterone-drive rock.
After the group released a free-download teaser single "Rajah Sayap Malaikat" in May, anticipation was high for the album, which was formally brought out on June 25, 2011. The first 1000 copies sold out during their solo concert on the first day of release.
The new composition from the band, founded in 2003, sees them changing paths from pop-punk to a more metal sound. According to Giox, the bass player, they looked to the Misfits, Bad Religion and Smoking Popes as musical guides on this one. The group refuses to follow what the market wants, focusing instead on what's important to them: freedom, more speed, and more sex.
⢠Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniDevildice, a group of musicians from Bali masterminded by JRX, the drummer of Superman Is Dead, have come back with their second album. While the first album, In the Arms of the Angels (2004), was self-produced, this latest one, Army of the Black Rose (June 2011), was put together through Sony Music Indonesia.
Over 11 songs, JRX, the main song writer, talks mostly about nihilism, life and love, pain and rain. They also invite some guest stars to participate. Sari Nymphea performs a duet with JRX on the Johnny Cash-June Carter inspired song, "Diamonds are Forever", backed up by Leo and Kappe Sinatra on guitar and contrabass. Hendra Fish (Telephone) also plays guitar on "Palace of My Own Disgrace".
Familiarize yourself with this rock-n-roll punk quintet by checking them out first on their MySpace and Facebook page. Dig their old gangster movie and kustom kulture image and go ahead and buy the album!
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celebâs Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically itâs an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesiaâs public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 19th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Rahmah Umayya.
Domestic chaos and prolonged internal problems in Indonesia has inspired The Brandals to write and release DGNR8 (read: degenerate). The latest album after a drought of for four years is a tribute to the great nation of Indonesia, and how the band feels that the country has lost its way of life.
The rather cynical viewpoint from the group that now prefers to call themselves "BRNDLS" is further strengthened by the design of the album cover, which is in the shape of the form of drug packaging. According to the band, DGNR8 is a kind of drug offered to the sick people in the dilapidated condition of the nation.
Also with the progressive statements, the music direction has changed somewhat as well. The explosive approach of earlier efforts is now more controlled as the quartet grow older and more mature, but the foundation is still rock-n-roll. In one song, "Abrasi", Eka Annash & co. even invited the hip hop living legend, Morgue Vanguard aka Ucok Homicide to rap.
Other than audio disc, this album has an interesting bonus, too, DGNR8: The DVD, which is a documentary movie about the making of the album, including the "behind the screen" story about the music and the dynamics of these angry young men.
• Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniAfter releasing an album with the theme of women's emancipation in 2010, Oppie Andaresta is back again with Dengan Hati Senang. Released in April 2011, this newest composition is quite easy listening and more radio-friendly compared to the last offering. As Oppie puts it, "Wider segment: commercial-oriented, more footlose-and-fancy-free."
The album, with "Mau Have Fun" as the first single, consist of nine songs which talks mostly about daily life and social issues. In "Matahariku", for instance, she sings about her beloved husband (without him even realizing it), while "Jangan Bedakan (Ayah Bunda)" points at the distorted relationship between parents and their children.
Despite the photos that expressing her more "modern" look, the ambassador of Peduli Perempuan (women's rights), has asserted that she's still the same Oppie inside. The urban cosmopolitan look is only a fun experiment initiated by her photographer. She's not into manufactured images, she's still into simple and natural images, just as she's always been.
Currently, Oppie is busy promoting Dengan Hati Senang to the radios around big cities in Indonesia with a tour following in July.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 18th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Rio Helmi.
・Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniBayu Risa has made impressive moves since he was a kid. At the age of 10 he traveled around many South East Asian countries and even to the USA to sing with his vocal group.
During his high school era, this Jakarta-based singer actively performing in cafes and school shows around town. He went to Bandung after he graduated and got busy with a band called Ever Nine. After quite a long break due to illness, he was asked to join Pasto which helped develop his reputation on the Indonesian music scene significantly. While he was still in Pasto they released an album produced by Glenn Fredly in 2007. Despite Pasto's ever growing fame, Bayu Risa decided to quit to pursue a solo career.
In 2009 he released his first single, "Inner Beauty", which attracted a good amount of success. However things really started moving when he met Joseph Saryuf in 2010. Joseph then became his producer and helped him to release his first full-length solo album under Sinjitos Records called Rise and Start Again. The ten composition on the album are an eclectic mix of musical genres, from beautiful pop melodies to funk beats, from sexy R&B grooves to spaced out disco. The single "Percaya" performed well in many prestigious music charts across Indonesia. The single also helped Bayu to secure a position at the two major national music festivals, 'Playground' and 'Soulnation'.
Recently, one of the song from Rise and Start Again was used in an ad campaign by a national mobile phone network operator.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 17th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Jamie Aditya.
・Versi Bahasa Indonesia silakan klik di siniAfter playing classical piano since he was as young as 12 years old, Luky Annash ended up going down the 90's music path rather than sticking to the classical tunes. Nirvana and Tori Amos give him more freedom for interpretation than Mozart and baroque composition where he felt limited.
In 2005, the younger brother of Eka and Rully Annash (The Brandals), made up his mind, and decide to dive in completely in contemporary music and starting to join bands like The Brandals, godmustbecrazy, and Tika and the Dissidents.
Finally in April 2011 he released his debut album called 180º under Demajors in which he talks a lot about life's adventure how things can be be changed 180º if you are willing to accept both the dark and the bright side. The influence of his favorite artists like Tori Amos, Harry Nilsson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Björk, Apparat, Phillip Glass, Danny Elfman---even Slayer and Motörhead---can be heard on the album.
DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celebâs Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically itâs an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesiaâs public figures are really into, musically speaking.
For the 16th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Heru Wahyono.
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