Phang Khuan Hoong is a copywriter, keyboardist for local band Citizens of Ice Cream and a man who’s always been there to lend a helping hand to Soundscapes’ ventures. Here he shares with us his admiration for Mak Wai Hoo’s (of Soundscapes) boldness and persistence in contributing significant growth to our music scene, and the honor he had opening for Mono during Soundscapes’ 10th anniversary gig with his band COIC.

In a haze of extreme fatigue, smiles and smoke, I slumped into the couch in the corner of the room and watched as Mak and Taka’s conversation trailed into music and life and experiences. Men who, if I were to be so bold, would undoubtedly leave their mark in music history in the days to come.

In fact, I believe they already have.

Mak, with an indie music label that had started off in the rich, rebellious musical ditches of the Malaysian Chinese fringes. The label that dared to kick the sorry nuts off the Malaysian Chinese mainstream media’s bland and defensively shamed idea of local music, and had since, not only defiantly survived the impregnable sub-cultural restrictions of Kuala Lumpur, but had gallingly strived forward for the past decade to bring us some of the greatest musicians the city had ever seen – all with a calmly raised middle finger.

Taka, a living musical deity who brought a band to America on a haphazard tour with nothing but the sheer dream of sharing a music that comes with such incredible honesty, engulfing emotion and soul-echoing resonance. A music that had since moved, inspired and enveloped hearts across the world. A band that made countless college kids pick up guitars and strummed their dreams of making real music that could truly touch souls. A man who seeks to express the truest form of music by journeying to the deepest reaches of his inner musical realms, like catching the echoes of the universe and plucking the melodies from them.

“I prefer simple,” he said, “no gimmicks, just music. And honesty. And ORIGINAL.”

He told of his experience working with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra for a Mono performance. “In Japan (orchestra), “chords” is king… but I don’t know chords. So, the first day of meeting the conductor, who is a very famous, top composer in Tokyo, I told him ‘I don’t know chords. Let’s just play and we’ll see how it goes.” He described clouds and mountains, winds and oceans to the composer, how the soul would feel reaching for these visions, and how its music would sound. “Later,” he continued, “I bumped into one of the violinists in the washroom, standing in the cubicle next to me and he said ‘that was very good!”

The sold-out show remains as one of the greatest Mono performances. Rock band and orchestra, neither was the usurper, and neither was the master, it was the music that soared, roared, echoed, crushed, cried, soothed and caressed. A music that could only be achieved as every sound and instrument on stage that night resonated to its perfect honesty, to its perfect emotional epic-ness.

Such a performance was also mirrored during Mono’s second visit to KL two years ago. With warm lights in surreal, intimate colours, KLPac Pentas 2 experienced the band with a mini orchestra of young local musicians that had not only complimented Mono’s musical prowess but brought the music’s sheer soulful grandness to its most fore. How could anyone forget the strings rising to Ashes in the Snow? Or not stifle one’s heart to hold back the crushing tranquility and roaring crescendos of Follow the Map rippling through our bones? Or finally letting loose our souls to ride with the thundering waves of melodic battle cries in The Battle To Heaven?

Nor could anyone forget the shattering performance of opening band Deepset; the band’s edging intensity and crushing epic-ness finally given true form on an embracing stage befitting of the band’s music. An opening performance that was not only well worthy as a welcome, but resonates as a testament to Malaysia’s true musical potentials.

“I find that this time it’s different,” said Mak, trying to describe what he felt about organizing the show last night, particularly working with Mono. “We’ve worked together for three shows now and I find that each one has a different feeling to it.” “I’m just the same guy all three times!” Taka exclaimed with a smile. “I think it’s like a different level.” Mak replied. He couldn’t quite find the words in the end but what I found when I tried to read his expression was one more of a natural camaraderie, like welcoming some visiting friends for a good night out instead of the headiness of putting up an international show. Or like an unspoken bond of trust where one does not worry about impressions in front of the other, where honesty is like breathing, never an action in need of forethought. “It is souls,” said Taka, “We all have the same souls.”

It was the Soundscape Records 10^th Anniversary Show last night, two years after Mono blew our collective minds in KLPac, and this was Mak’s way to mark 10 years of pulling off shows and putting out bands and generally giving us a hell of good music time in KL, with Akta Angkasa, Furniture and our band before Mono took the stage once again. But this is not a review of last night’s show. It’s really just a music nerd’s little recollection of hanging out with two of the greatest men I’ll ever meet in my life. And as our band went on stage just a few hours ago, I stole a look across the packed hall and the words came to me but I could not utter them aloud. “Tonight, we open for our heroes.”

By Phang Kuan Hoong

The Wknd would like to congratulate Soundscape Records on their ten years of making music good for us. We wish them continuous success and support from local music lovers. Keep them good acts coming and the gigs going, guys!.

Bringing the band to the fans. Mak looks on as fans meet Mono. KLPAC 2010.

Moonshine is back this month with another varied lineup featuring visiting singer-songwriter Hannah Howes, longtime staples of the scene Markiza and Hassan Peter (this time a trio, with someone called Wong), former Bhumiband singer and up and coming pop chart sensation Awi Rafael and of course everyone’s favourite post-rockers turned indie pop heroes Furniture. With that kind of lineup, we’re pretty sure it’s going to be quite an interesting night indeed.

Show starts at 9.30pm on Thursday, 26th May 2011 at Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. As usual, admission is free. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more info.

Indie pop blog SEA Indie has just released their latest free download compilation, this time focusing on the Malaysian indie scene. Titled Mighty Melody, the compilation features a pretty wide range of pop sounds, from the classic sounds indie pop to the mighty crunch of power pop, the swirling jangle of shoegaze, acoustic pop and more. With a tracklisting that includes our favourites like Nicestupidplayground, Furniture, Ferns, Couple, Love/Comes, Yuna, Khottal, The Hollows and more, this promises to be one mightily melodic compilation indeed. Download the compilation for free from SEA Indie.

Here’s the full tracklisting:

01. Love/Comes – His Gesture of Love
02. Nicestupidplayground – Stereo Girl
03. The Drives – Friday Saturday Sunday
04. Yuna – Backpacking Around World
05. Furniture – Once Set In Stone
06. Couple – Lagu Cinta Untukmu
07. Liyana Fizi – This Feeling
08. Ferns – Miss Stormcloud
09. Romancesa – Woody
10. Crashin’ Butterfliez – Long Wait
11. Wani Ardy – You
12. Khottal – Against Tomorrow
13. The Hollows – Silent
14. Poppy – Beautiful
15. The Fridays – Pavillion Is For Losers
16. The Sofa Sessions – Nobody Else

There seems to be a new venue in town way out in Tropicana City Mall in Petaling Jaya, host to quite a few low-key gigs in the last couple of weeks. This Sunday, get set to watch Furniture, Car Crash Hearts, Iskan The Great,  Never Early and Red Ruby Avengers in said cozy venue. So if you live around the area, why not come and check it out? There’s not even a flyer posted on the event’s Facebook page, so we’ll put in a photo of Furniture instead (because we love ‘em yo).

Show starts at 9pm on Sunday, 20th February 2011 at Artista Bar, Tropicana City Mall, Petaling Jaya. There’s no cover charge, but we’re pretty sure you’ll have to buy drinks to be able to lounge around in the bar.

Lost Tapes is back this month with another reliably solid line-up, with the main acts being brilliant space-rockers Akta Angkasa, Furniture (who’s back with a brilliant new album last month) and post-punk favourites PARTIMELOVERS. 3 acoustic acts in the form of Nabihan Skrjabin, Syahril Riza and Jes Ibrahim will be the supporting acts, performing originals and special Valentine’s Day covers which will include The Cure’s “Lovesong”, Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and more.

Show starts at 8pm on Thursday 17th February 2011 at Laundry Bar, Kuala Lumpur. Entry is free. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more info.

A few days back we posted news about Furniture’s brilliant new single “False Start” and also their new album called They Made Me Out Of Dreams You’ve Forgotten, which will be out digitally on 1st January 2011 and also on CD sometime in early January.

Not only have they been generous enough to make that new single available for free download, but the good people of Furniture are also now offering you a chance to listen to another new song called “Jane Behind The Glass” exclusively and for the first time ever here at The Wknd! A lovely dream pop-ish sounding tune, the 2 songs we’ve already heard from their 13-song new album seem to point to something potentially quite special. We can’t wait to hear the full album. In the meantime, feast your ears on “Jane Behind The Glass” below, and don’t forget to check out their Bandcamp, Facebook and Myspace pages for even more info. What a way to start the new year for Malaysian music eh?

After a long 5 year absence, Malaysian indie pop favourites Furniture are back with a new single, and a new album  called They Made Me Out Of Dreams You’ve Forgotten out on 1st January 2011 in the digital format. For those who are still into buying CDs, the physical version will follow suit somewhere in early January.

For now, enjoy this glorious new single from them called False Start, which to these ears sound like a marriage made in heaven between Grandaddy and some good ol’ indie pop melodies, with some soaring post-rock dynamics sealing the deal near the end. Have a listen to the song below, and you can also download it for free from their Bandcamp page.

Audio Mass is actually, a jamming studio. A relatively spacious one though. In fact, it’s not your typical weekend jamming studio. Tucked away in the heart of Setiawangsa, this has been the practice space for some of Malaysia’s musical legends (most notably, Ramli ‘Bapak Rock’ Sarip).

Come 5th November, the lads at Senipekik (A//A) will be hosting “Mull, Debauch to KL” at Audio Mass, featuring the likes of Furniture (we hear they’ve just finished recording, new material maybe?), Tenderfist, Akta Angkasa and Sphere. Also driving up all the way from Singapore, post rockers This Is Atlantis. Kicks off at 9:00pm, expect a rather intimate setting and with a cover charge as low as RM7 (limited space), this is definitely something to look forward to in November.

Click here for more info.

Self Conscious Acronymed Man releases an epic 39 song 3 disc album entitled Haji Abdul Aziz Haji Ali (HAAHA). You might know him better as the fire breathing, crossdressing guy in Ciplak and the trumpeter for Citizens of Ice Cream and Furniture, better known as Aziz. HAAHA shows a much more mellow side of Aziz, crooning lines like “In my weakest moments / I think of you” over a stripped down bedroom acoustic guitar sound.

Have a listen to his demo tracks on his myspace, and you can get the album for RM30 via post.

*PS – this is not a review, just an announcement. We don’t do reviews, not yet at least.