Untuk Seketika Ku Hilang mini-documentary by Stenga Keldai

Posted by & filed under Music.

If a trip down memory lane with local indie rock band BUTTERFINGERS is right up your alley, then Stenga Keldai‘s recent uploaded youtube video is definitely a must watch. This mini documentary is part one of a series that highlights the band’s journey through the eyes of local figures within the art and music scene such as founder of ROTTW magazine Rom Mohd Noor.

This video is in conjunction with the launch of the limited edition book “Untuk Seketika Ku Hilang” that goes in detail on the lifespan of Butterfingers’ career thus far while being loaded with observations and insight of a time where the “sounds of Malaysia” and rock music was still rich in dramatic value and mystery.

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Watch the mini documentary right below:

For those who are interested in grabbing a copy of Untuk Seketika Ku Hilang, it will be available directly at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair which is happening on 29th April  till 9th May. You can also purchase it through the official distributors Dubook Press or online at www.monoloque.com.

Wayang Budiman presents Doea Tanda Mata

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Are you a film enthusiast? If you are, you might be interested in this upcoming film screening event by Teguh Karya. Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia presents ‘Doea Tanda Mata’, an Indonesian war film directed by Teguh Karya. Set in the early 1930s in West Java during the right-wing and repressive Dutch colonial rule, the film depicts the efforts of a young man, Goenadi in avenging the death of his friend Asep who has shot by the Dutch while both were involved in undercover activities. 

The cinematography is gorgeous thanks to the exquisite use of colour that lends the film an atmospheric depth it deserves, considering it depicts a time only a few years after the Youth Congress of 1928 which declared the aim of a future Indonesia united as one nation under one language.

Yet as the critical writing in the Jakarta weekly Tempo has noted, this large historical theme of the struggle for national freedom is allowed to exist only as background to the more personal and individual story, which has a kind of autonomy from the historical theme. The characters in the film include members of the independence movements (forming an underground network of resistance) and theatre people, in particular members of a type of opera troupe found throughout South East Asia at the time known as Stamboel theatre.

The nationalist movement had contacts with the Stamboel theatre that was regarded as low class and beneath Dutch society. But the theatre people had printing presses for printing their programmes and such presses could be used by nationalists in printing political pamphlets. Here, as well, contacts could be made with journalists and writers.

If the backstory behind this production has stirred the dormant history buff in you, do catch the film screening this Friday, 22nd April at 8pm onwards for free!For more information, feel free to head over to their Facebook page.

Dataran Merdeka’s Headed For A Jazz-y Time!

Posted by & filed under Events, Music.

World Youth Jazz Festival is coming back bigger than ever this year! Taking place at one of the most historical places in Malaysia, Dataran Merdeka, this three-day festival will present a smorgasbord of international artists alongside local artists that include Burhan Ocal, Frederick Koster, RALYZZDIG, Twelf Note, and Melodies among numerous others.

Here, the youth of the world would not only be able to showcase their jazz talents but also integrate, collaborate, interact and network between themselves and established jazz musicians globally. Support the local jazz scene by attending this event while enjoying the therapeutic music. Oh, in case the uplifting and timeless qualities of jazz isn’t enough to pull you in, do note that the festival is free to enter.

Set your sights on this coming 6th to 8th May, when historical Dataran Merdeka will be infused with the spirit of youth and the sounds of jazz!

To find out more about this event do head down to their official website here.

Sounds Good? No? Time for version 2.0!

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If the previous SoundsGood! concert left you wanting more, rest assured as it will be coming back new and improved this time around in version 2.0! This year, they will be highlighting several favourite acts from the Malaysian music scene.

Supported mainly by AFS Malaysia, SoundsGood! 2.0 is a free-to-enter concert that collaborates with amazing musicians like Kyoto Protocol, Son of a Policman, and Bil Musa. Chill out to the music, mingle with the crowd and take a listen to people from The Nasi Lemak Project, IMAM Response & Relief Team – IMARET, GoodKids, Dignity for Children Foundation and AFS Malaysia to learn about volunteering opportunities.

While the musicians will rock your socks off, the NGOs will be there to show you how they can become so much more with your participation in their volunteering activities!

Soundsgood! 2.0 will be happening this coming Sunday, 24th of April from 4pm-9pm at BlackBox@Publika.

If all that sounds good (ahem) to you, be sure to make your way to their Facebook page for more details!

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The Borak-Borak Sessions: Darren Ashley

Posted by & filed under Features, Music.

For the latest edition of our ‘Borak-Borak Sessions’ , we sat down with singer / song writer Darren Ashley to talk about a few things, namely what makes a good song, some of the highlights of his career, and what are some of the things he does when he is writing a song.

Check out our video above to get a lil’ sneak peek at the current song he is working on for his upcoming “Monday Juice” release, and be sure to check out his SoundCloud below to listen to some of his past releases.

 

 

Stakes Shop X Hoax Vision Presents Lotus Club 4!

Posted by & filed under Events.

Get ready for a large serving of soul digital punk, because Stakes Shop and Hoax Vision are readying up Lotus Club 4, an event which will feature #SADGIRL Viktoria launching her debut EP titled Good Girl, Bad Habits. The event will be held at Raksasa Print Studio, also known as the location of Stakes’ pop-up store.

Joining the gig this Friday, 29th April from 7:30pm till 10ppm will be yet another talented local artist Sunita Soh who will certainly serenade those present with her soulful vocals. Don’t worry about busting the wallet to attend as it is free of charge and anyone and everyone is welcome to join!

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Here, you can watch her “Nothing More” music video to get a glimpse of the quality and style of her upcoming EP:

For more information and updates about the Lotus Club event do head down to Stakes’ website!

The Bamboo Playhouse at Perdana Lake Garden

Posted by & filed under Design.

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The Bamboo Playhouse is a public pavilion located in Kuala Lumpur’s oldest and arguably, most picturesque park – the Perdana Botanical Gardens (Taman Tasik Perdana). The pavilion itself is situated on a small island in a large lake that stretches through the centre of the park. The use of bamboo in contemporary buildings is very rare in Malaysia and this building explores its potential as a sustainable building material.

Inspiration for the playhouse stems from traditional vernacular structures called the ‘wakaf’ which are originally found in villages or ‘kampungs’. Here, the playhouse can be described as a series of ‘wakafs’ grouped together to form an animated and playful bamboo structure that blends harmoniously with the beautiful greenery of the botanical garden.

The pavilion consists of thirty-one identical square decks set at various, seemingly random heights, creating a playful three-dimensional floorscape. The project was commissioned by the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur to Eleena Jamil Architect, an architecture firm that focuses a lot on mixing our local aesthetics with modern architecture.

The Bamboo Playhouse is already completed and opened to public, so if you want to catch a glimpse of it, do drop by the Perdana Botanical Garden.

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Source: archix.org

Aspiring Artists, Stand Alert for Red Bull’s #EhWauBulan!

Posted by & filed under Art, Events.

Redbull Red Moday 2016 March - DSC03241 - Photo by All Is Amazing

If you’re an aspiring Malaysian artist seeking an avenue to exhibit your creative works, Red Bull could be your gateway to some recognition! The established energy drink producers has just launched a submission call for all potential local artists to submit their original work for an upcoming two-week art exhibition in August this year titled #EhWauBulan.

Provided you do have an aesthetic savvy mind and a degree of individuality in your art, chances are good your work could go on display at this exhibition. This is considering the fact that the event will feature a whopping 59 selected artists to commemorate the nation’s 59th year of independence.

The exhibition will be curated by a distinguished panel of experts led by street artist Fritilldea, contemporary artist Ivan Lam and National Visual Arts Development Board trustee and artist Phillip Wong. The panel will also shortlist a selection of artists from the exhibition for an artist residency programme in the near future, designed to uplift them at various parts of their career.

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Interested artists should paint, sculpt, and design their rendition of how their artistic journey unfolds. Think about what drives your future and what inspires you on your artistic journey, and channel that into your submission! All visual artwork must be submitted for consideration via the #EhWauBulan site by 1 July 2016.

Held in partnership and with the support of The National Visual Arts Gallery, Red Bull’s #EhWauBulan art outreach aims to cultivate Malaysia’s art scene and to empower local artists with wings to document their journey through art.

The #EhWauBulan initiative comes at the heels of the launch of its first-ever limited edition Malaysian can. The can, which depicts the celebrated and emblematic Wau Bulan with a modern twist, was designed by street artist and panelist Fritilldea. The cans will be available nationwide in May.

Redbull Red Moday 2016 March - DSC02890 - Photo by All Is Amazing

For further information and to view the first wave of original submissions for the exhibition, take a tour of this site right here!

Aman Ra Latest Release #BudakFlat

Posted by & filed under Music.

First and foremost, here’s a big Happy Birthday to the MVP Aman Ra! Last night, the man released his new music video titled #BudakFlat that was inspired by the stories of the people and environments surrounding him. It was deliberately released on his birthday as a tribute to those that have tagged along for his journey through thick and thin.

“They say life is a tragedy to those that feel, a comedy to those that think. I say, life is a success to those that hustle ‘demi hasil'” he says.

If your ears enjoyed the audio paradise and want to listen to more of his music head down to Aman Ra’s official facebook, twitter, instagram and not to forget his youtube channel too!

The Clay Roof House by DRTAN LM Architects

Posted by & filed under Design.

The House is located in the suburbs of Petaling Jaya. The owners had purchased an old shabby house and wanted to rebuild a new family home. Upon inspection it was discovered that the old house had good quality Indian clay roof tiles that were still in good shape. And as the property faced west, the clay roof tiles offered a good solution to vertically screen the façade from the morning and afternoon sun.

The roof tiles were carefully removed, stored and reused. Vertical steel rods were designed to hold the clay tiles whilst allowing free movement to swivel and turn. This reduces the solar gain through the house’s fenestration of windows and glass doors and lends a soft tremulous lighting effect when viewed with internal lights switched on at night from the outside. In the sun the terracotta glows a warm orange.

This transformed the house into an insulated and well-ventilated cube comprising volumes of spaces within a unique facade of roof tile and lattice brick work screens that shields the inside from the outside.

There is a touch of purism in the raw walls and use of building materials in its natural form, a breath of minimalism in the simple lines, unornamented motifs and open spaces. With noticeable functionality in the floor plan, ‘green’ systems and outer skins as well as the reuse of the original terracotta roof tiles of the demolished old house as a lattice screen of animated clay that swivels with the undulating wind.

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Source: Arch Daily