Sublime Frequencies
V.A. Folk and Pop Sounds of Sumatra vol 2 ***°
This second volume is different from vol. 1, and is really my cup of tea. It focuses on a few other variations with the folk and pop territory on Sumatra. A large part shows Islamic influences, in a wonderfully renewed Middle Eastern style (rabab, flute & Arab orchestra) that somehow is mixed with earlier local origins. It is said to have come originally from settlers from Yemen.
I have the impression the album was compiled from a few very good LP’s and perhaps one or two singles, all different in style but fitting well together on one compilation.
The tracks by Syamsudin has a musical structure which sound especially on the first track, ”Sigumendar” as if it could have been made in a few other places in the world (India, Africa,..), but I still think I recognize an Islamic traditional tune here. It has some hypnotic dance effect to it. The Second track also is highly original, and a perfect example of another incredible mix. The vocals are used here as a perfect melodic-rhythmic instrument, which is in the mix with clay- and flute sounds and some sharper Islamic “clarinet”. This ‘whatever’-exotic clay-instrument also sounds similar to an African family of instruments : another brilliant track.
Third track by Iswani Ismail, starting with organ is a song (female vocals) with varied Middle Eastern percussion, the straw-violin like rabab, with something that sounds like double bass and an Arab orchestra, called Orkes Gambus. I guess this style is closest to the Yemen style origin.
Next track, by Elly Kasim is a charming, somewhat funny, almost Latin exotic pop track with a rock group performance (fuzz guitar, bass, drums & percussion) with some short crazy sax solo.
The track after that, by Umni Nadra, is a popular sounding song with multi-vocal passages, and again the Middle Eastern touch by Orkes Gambus.
The second Syamsudin track, "Talang Denti" travels on a ska-like rhythm, which sounds pretty odd ! The vocals on Fetty's track, first accompanied by only flute, sounds very much Indian styled. It then gets a bass and a gamelan like instrument added to it.
H.J.Zahara sings in a Middle Eastern style, first only accompanied by oud and orchestra, then with accordeon and a more kitschy element of synthesizer, already taking over a small part of the lstil fine percussion.
Mukhsin's track is another example of some simplified ska-like synthesizer rhythm, but also here the rhythmic singing voice and the rabab improvisation to it, are swinging with each other so well, it still is too good to miss. Also it’s good to hear to what degree, simplifying original traditions can be still charming enough that they still "work".
Also Ummi Nadra (voice) with Orkes Gambus uses a ska-like funny rhythm, but it’s still completely Middle Eastern, and not too different in style from what can be heard in several other Islamic countries. The organ sound really is terrific together with the older instruments.
Haha Haba Group's contribution sounds more like what we would expect to hear from Sumatra : it is a beautifully varied song dialogue with the talempong (these are small, sounded gongs played with mallets).
One more track by Syamsudin, "Bunga Rampai" is pretty rock-like, rhythmically. Somehow the guy reminds me of the hit from an unknown ? rhythmic sample which came from India a year ago (I don't recall that title).
The next song, called "Salam Pembukaan", with Orkes Gambus with Muchlis/Bersama has a small boy/feminine ? choir, and sounds like some Arab festivity music. Nice.
This is followed by a Minang traditional (= music for ceremony and dance), which is clapping and vocals, very ritualistic in a minimal way. On the last three tracks I think compiler Alan Bishop failed to find equally driven tracks from his sources ; the gloomy shiny bits were shown already, that he might just have added a few more remaining tracks from the same albums, to have a full CD. These extra tracks in the three different styles are still ok, but no longer essential. They show also that, when the musical ideas are only used as patterns to repeat an idea, no matter how experienced and vividly played this is, this can’t work as well for each composition and song.
A very good compilation, recommended !
