simakDialog
The 6th Story
MoonJune Records
2013
Another Indonesian band has been introduced to us by the NY based MoonJune label. Of course, simakDialog are not new around since they started out in 1993. They have released 6 albums so far but only their last two were released internationally.
The band’s music is impossible to categorize, since they mix various music styles and they do have a very distinctive musical identity. Jazz, fusion, ethnic, avant-garde, prog rock, jazz-rock, Gamelan (traditional music from Indonesia with xylophones, kendang, gongs etc.), atmospheric & psychedelic elements have all been blended together under a very smooth & laid-back sound. Indeed the production is very clear and warm. The album was engineered and mixed by the band’s guitarist Riza Arshad and mastered by Sam John at Precise Mastering, at Earlston, Scotland.
The album’s sound is overwhelmed by the use of percussions, as simakDialog features 3 percussionists! Specifically, two of them play sundanese kendang percussion (left & right each) and the other assorted metal percussion. The abstract “melodies” and the intense improvisation are not quite friendly for the average listener. Musicians should enjoy the band’s music more and they will also get to “study” a few things here and there. There’s no doubt that “The 6th Story” has a very special music quality but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it can appeal to a wider audience which is not composed of musicians for the most part…
The band’s music is impossible to categorize, since they mix various music styles and they do have a very distinctive musical identity. Jazz, fusion, ethnic, avant-garde, prog rock, jazz-rock, Gamelan (traditional music from Indonesia with xylophones, kendang, gongs etc.), atmospheric & psychedelic elements have all been blended together under a very smooth & laid-back sound. Indeed the production is very clear and warm. The album was engineered and mixed by the band’s guitarist Riza Arshad and mastered by Sam John at Precise Mastering, at Earlston, Scotland.
The album’s sound is overwhelmed by the use of percussions, as simakDialog features 3 percussionists! Specifically, two of them play sundanese kendang percussion (left & right each) and the other assorted metal percussion. The abstract “melodies” and the intense improvisation are not quite friendly for the average listener. Musicians should enjoy the band’s music more and they will also get to “study” a few things here and there. There’s no doubt that “The 6th Story” has a very special music quality but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it can appeal to a wider audience which is not composed of musicians for the most part…