Tracks of the Week (6/4/2017) (Fazura, Jason Dy, Spacehawk, Atmosfera, Youth Portal, Sxph, Ila Damiaa, A-OK)
Seven is the magic number, and seven is the number of tracks we have for you this week. From nostalgic throwbacks to rock jiwang days, to trap rap and dreampop, there is something for everyone in all circumstances – whether you’re in love, smoking a cigarette, or just looking for a good breakfast date.
Nothing Like Cinta Ini – Jason Dy, Fazura
Her acting prowess notwithstanding, Fazura has never really been a favourite amongst music fans. Mostly because her voice does not really leave any impact upon a listener. It is mostly flat and monotonous, and because she songs she sings are your typical Malaysian chart R&Bs; the lyrics are not a redeeming factor either. However, this song passes off as tolerable because of the presence of Jason Dy. This Filipino singer brings out the best in what is essentially an adorable track about the special nature of a couple’s love when barriers of communications exist. This song is available in in Tagalog as well, entitled Nothing Like Pag-Ibig, but only the chorus is altered slightly. Overall the song is similar, but as a salutation towards a regional collaboration between a Filipino artist and a Malaysian one, it is still a sweet gesture.
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Terbaik (ft. Diana Danielle) – A-OK
This Sunday morning laid-back track by A-OK is adorable, but it really doesn’t leave much to celebrate. The whistling makes it warm and fuzzy, and Diana Danielle‘s vocals does add another level of serenity to it. Lyrically, the subject matter is very off-putting. Mainly because the rappers want to clarify that they are not buaya. It is not only cliche with really no twist to it all, but sounds weirdly defensive when positioned next to the cheery aura of the track.
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Berakhirlah Sudah – Atmosfera
There has been signs of rock jiwang coming back to decorate our lives with the advent of artists such as Sufian Suhaimi, Tajul and Haziq Rusli. Atmosfera seems to be one of those that stand out the most in that genre with their new song Berakhirlah Sudah. The vocals of Eron and Ganak really makes this track a trip into memory lane for those who grew up listening to jiwang essentials on the radio.
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Cuma Kamu – Ila Damiaa
The most interesting thing to note about this track is how much Ila Damiaa has changed in comparison to past tracks like . The comeback she’s made apparently also came with a change in genre, as she moves away from that old-school R&B sound to a more cheery, bubbly tune fitting for a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar at a hipster cafe – and to be honest we don’t necessarily hate it. It is a fun song, and definitely a track we can smile to; and a fitting ode to love for those people who are slightly more on the happier side of things.
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Mati – Spacehawk
Spacehawk, with songs like Terus and Menunggu, has always had that progressive poetic rock vibes. The semi-baritone of the vocalist always seems to give spirit to those songs, where their guitar riffs (or their mesmerizing keys) carries it with a slightly other-wordly essence. Mati sort of brings the same atmosphere too. With lyrics such as Bak bintang yang tak bersinar, masih mencari cahaya, namun tetap masih kau hantui, the song’s somber poetry makes up for an otherwise lacklustre vocal performance and progression. Things improve though as the bridge starts (Takkan kau hancur, walaupun dalam kau jatuh), where the song picks up a notch and soars. Overall, this clean ambience sound of Spacehawk is still a praiseworthy track, but nothing in comparison to their previous work. Nothing about it stands out. Nothing about it really breaks any boundaries or catches the attention of this particular genre. A good song to listen to once, but probably not more than that.
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Butter Breakfast – Youth Portal
Another sweet, serene morning track to add to your playlist, Butter Breakfast is one of Youth Portal’s more jovial track. It is definitely simpler in song structure than Turning Point or Draft, but still keeps that dreampop quality they’re known for. Adding to the sweet nature of this song are the lyrics too, an invitation to a lepak buttery breakfast seems like such an appealing thing after giving a listen to this track. Essentially, the DIY outfit brings something slightly new to their discography, but still keeping safe within that comfort zone. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, since this comfort zone is an extra cosy one.
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HSBC – Sxph
From the olden days of ’90’s-like hip-hop of SSK (with songs like ), Sxph has evolved tremendously into the trap side of hip hop. Although Sxph does not come off as your cheeky next-door rapper anymore, HSBC still maintains some of that tongue-in-cheek tone that he so flawlessly executes. Not only that, Sxph’s transition into trap did not come at the compromise of really good bars. The song itself being a funny ode to the abbreviation of ‘Hisap Sebatang Baru Ciao‘ definitely helps the humour but in addition, there are also punchlines that makes this song memorable (Macam mana boleh sesat, ini zaman GPS). If any criticism is to be thrown at this track, is probably that the hook is not as catchy as some of his other stuff like Sejuta.
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This article is written collaboratively between Zim Ahmadi & Iezahdiyana. If you guys have any feedback, email us at , or hit us up on our or .
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