Monday June 26, 2006
A higher profile
Indie music culture is the buzz in the local scene, and ADRIAN YAP C.K. reckons there are brighter days ahead.
THIS is the age of the indie rock superstar. “Indie” like the term “emo” or “post-rock” has become a catchy buzzword recently. The textbook definition of the word indie was derived from the term “independent”, forming its ethos around the notion that being indie meant being independent from the mainstream (a simplistic description, but one that cuts to the core).
But the term has taken a whole new meaning over the years, used as a means to describe a niche subculture, its fashion and of course, the music involved. And it is boom times for indie music everywhere.
On the local front, indie music is definitely on the upsurge again. Not since the early days of OAG has indie rock/pop been this prominent from both a mainstream and critical perspective.
Not many indie acts can boast continuity and popularity here. But OAG is an exception as the Radhi-led band laid out the scene and it continues to be at the forefront of local indie pop considering the loyal following it has amassed since the early 1990s.
Another band of note is Seven Collar T-Shirt, a fine example of an ever-evolving local band that has come through the modern rock ranks and maintained a forward-minded music outlook. Gerhana Ska Cinta, regarded as a ska/rocksteady favourite, is also one of the rare instances of a band with a keen indie fan-base and an active recording career.
But these recognisable names are being gradually swept aside by a younger tide of bands and a different sound. Many would agree that the Malaysian music landscape has shifted tremendously in the last two years – and the forward momentum is infectious.
No disrespect to the emo scene and the post-rock movement – but these genres have gone off the boil. The young and music-savvy twentysomethings have caught the wave of the indie music resurgence.
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BodySurf Music mainstays (from left): Kujoi, Meor, Jay and Ducktoi, moving forward with the Ipoh scene. |
Ipoh rocks
In another twist to the local indie scene, the best bands of the genre don’t hail from the Klang Valley, but rather Ipoh.
This year, the Ipoh indie community has roared back in style.
The Radio Malaya compilation released earlier this year is an important document for Malaysian indie rock. Led by a large contingent of Ipoh-based bands, the BodySurf Music compilation features current darlings such as Muck, Free Love and Harmacy together with talented upstarts such as Couple and Bittersweet, now based in Kuala Lumpur.
Proper documentation has always been a plight of Malaysian indie bands and without recordings available there can be no talk of influencing subsequent generations of homegrown bands.
Thankfully things are changing with more bands getting recordings out – DIY-style. Small labels, like Muzik Box in Johor Baru, have contributed to the indie buzz on the Malay language front with a rag-tag compilation Koleksi Lagu Lagu Melayu Moden featuring newcomers like Azza & The Shadow Boyz and Lolypop.
The list of recordings, EPs and compilations in the last six months has been encouraging – while quality levels have generally improved. From Lucy In The Loo to Couple and the return of indie pioneers Nice Stupid Playground, the pace has been set for an increase in recording activity. Upcoming bands like Ferns, Free Love and Deserters are planning debut albums while The Times is prepping a second record and rumours of a new Nightlife Camera album out this year have been circulating.
Expectations and excitement need to be tampered by the reality of a small domestic marketplace for these releases but there is hope abroad. Attention in the region has boosted the ambitions of bands now seeking an audience beyond these shores.
Enter the Myspace generation of bands – a vibrant online community that looks to be the way forward. Can’t get a gig in Ipoh? Try Bandung, instead. Bands like Couple, Muck, Lucy In The Loo and Free Love have negotiated gigs in Indonesia and Singapore through this online network.
The indie community, if you look at the regional support and networking, has spread the profile of contemporary Malaysian music. Small steps indeed – but vital ones. With Bangkok to add to the tour diary; those dreams of a proper multi-city indie-style tour aren’t so far-fetched.
Earlier this year, Bandung-based outfit Mocca played Kuala Lumpur, signalling a healthy exchange of notable indie acts. Next month’s Baybeats festival in Singapore (July 14-16) is an opportunity for Ferns and Bittersweet to enter the regional spotlight as they make their debut at the region’s most popular indie rock festival.
More visible
Bittersweet, one of the hottest indie rock prospects this year, has been receiving rave reviews for its live shows, unleashing its flamboyant Brit-rock fare to the joy of jaded gig-goers. This outfit, with a live EP to its name, has earned a deserved slot at this year’s Baybeats festival. Bittersweet would do well to start thinking seriously about putting something proper down on tape soon.
Couple, at the forefront of the current indie wave, released its debut Top Of The Pop two months ago and the album proved to be one of the scene’s most anticipated releases in recent years. With an unwavering loyalty to US power pop, Couple’s main man Aidil managed to carve a niche, winning fans in a predominantly hardcore/punk scene. The Couple album has also been released in the US through NY-based indie label Sizzleteen Records.
Lucy In The Loo also released an EP titled Sugar High. Led by the hardworking Hana (she doubles up as guitarist for Couple and bassist for Free Love), Lucy In The Loo endorses the mid-90s female-fronted indie rock template, bringing a wonderful balance to the male-dominated local scene. Even largely absent Sarawak-based veteran Nice Stupid Playground has returned with its eagerly anticipated sophomore effort and the band is planning a couple of shows in Kuala Lumpur next month.
The half-term report for 2006 is a healthy for the indie music community. It promises to be tastier in the next half as dream pop darlings Ferns prep up the final touches to its debut while Couple intends to push its debut in the US.
Even local skinhead outfit A.C.A.B. has taken a drastic indie turn, renaming itself The A.C.A.B. With nods towards Pete Doherty’s indie Brit-rock revival and far more accessible in sound, The A.C.A.B. might just be a crossover name for the indie and punk fans.
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Bittersweet, one of the most talked about bands in the indie scene this year. |
Local series KL Lights tried that formula with our local bands, but success was relative. Nevertheless, the gig circuit is where the pulse of the indie circuit is – and rightfully so. Packed out gigs such as the One Night Stand series organised by Hacienda Music and the emergence of palatable and prominent venues such as KLPac, Laundry, Jam Asia and Planet Hollywood have proven that the masses can enjoy the live indie experience.
With the scene still very much hovering below the mainstream, perhaps it is just as well that local indie rock left the MTV slots and rock festivals to the grunge and rap-metal bands.
What is needed is not necessary large publicity, but maybe more savvy knowledge in negotiating the scene’s progress through well-organised gigs, properly recorded material and a possible local indie festival soon. The rest, we can just leave to the nature of music evolution, sit back and herald the day when 2006 could be recognised as a significant year for local indie rock.
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