Spooky Wet Dreams launches their new album of Malaysian stories this November!
On the 11th of November at the Bee, Publika, get ready to celebrate indie punk band Spooky Wet Dreams latest venture into the political, the groovy and the all-out unruly with the launch of their new album at Urbanscapes.
It’s always satisfying when a band you follow changes their sound, experiments with a new vibe, and still feel like the band you fell in love with. A lot can happen in the pursuit of musical growth, but Spooky Wet Dreams has shown with their recent singles that there’s great promise in risk. With Ipoh Girls they showcased a more Nusantara sound to their cheeky punk philosophy. Ini Sekolah Bukan Kilang portrayed a no-holds-barred acerbic aggression that Spooky Wet Dreams have always had within them, mocking the weakness of our education. As Merdekakah and Irama Propaganda finds its place under the sun, a more cohesive concept splattered with sonic paint of myriad colours start to appear. (Check out our thoughts on Irama Propaganda here)
I’m stopping short of giving an unreleased album a review, but judging from the range that exists in between all of the singles out so far, there’s an exciting variety waiting to be discovered. So far, it feels like I’ve been given a few snapshots of a whole album telling a story of Malaysia today – its flaws, its legacy and its hope. There’s the somber lamentation of self-doubt in Merdekakah that wrings your soul, and the irama joget poetry to those particular group of people who happen to fall in category of corrupt people “yang berbaju batik/bersongkok hitam“. In each of these tracks there’s always a musical chapter that reminds you that Spooky is a LIVE band, meant to take you on a number of loop-de-loops in your concert roller-coaster; enough to be fun, not too much that it makes you sick.
There’s also this whole aesthetic polish they’re going through which adds to the appeal, with members of the band wearing uniforms as they hold a megaphone on behalf of the anti-propaganda contingent. Designer Lizzie Zany being at the forefront of their poster creation also helped create the mood surrounding the upcoming album; anti-establishment PNGs of our nation’s many faces from the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad to two songkok-donning skeletons in conversation.
The band in uniform (Source: Spooky Wet Dreams)
The showcase for Koleksi Dendangan Untuk Masa Hadapan (also KDUMH) will also feature a nice trio of bands to ease you in. Drown in proverbial casette tape, jangly guitars and 80s synth with Bear Scouts. Their single, The Pills (I Know) gave us sweet melodies to conflicting feelings of addiction and heartbreak. There’s also Senja, with their sunny disposition that sit in the twilight parts of the day so you get a healthy mix of fun indie anthems and soft singer-songwriter tracks. Also shaking up the band list is Hactick!, who recently released their album Dog Days Diaries to critical acclaim by Ham and Adly of UNCLE REVIEW which brings back the fun and silliness we all miss from the early days of pop punk with its own local twist
Get your tickets for the album launch on the 11th of November! It’s not just a musical experience, there will also be art installations to heighten the feeling of Malaysiana and a “kedai runcit”!
As of the time this article was published, pre-order tickets are still available for Koleksi Dendangan Untuk Masa Hadapan: Album Showcase. Head to www.urbanscapes.com.my for more choices of awesome events you can visit!
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