Dwiki Dharmawan - Rumah Batu (2018) [Official Digital Download 24/88]

On his third album for Moonjune Records, Indonesian pianist Dwiki Dharmawan delivers a highly focused work and presents a wide array of styles, bound together by a core quintet and one common musical vision. While its predecessor Pasar Klewer found Dharmawan working with two alternating guitarists over a two-disc set of compositions, on Rumah Batu he happily settles with France-based Nguyên Lê, giving this record a special sense of uniformity and spontaneous dynamism. Yaron Stavi and Asaf Sirkis return on upright bass and drums, while Charles Benavent joins the band on electric bass.

The musical approaches on this album can be divided into two different stylistic currents: one is of a more organic and acoustic nature, while the other leans toward delving into fusion territory, in compositional nature as well as sound wise. The opening "Rintak Rebana" and "Paris Barantai" can be ascribed to the former and demonstrate a band that is willing to explore each member's unique vocabulary in a natural and homogeneous way. The opener mainly introduces the core quintet in a wild rhythmical exercise over inviting harmonic progressions. All the while, a catchy recurring ostinato, based on a major gipsy scale, ties the piece together. Each virtuoso gets a moment to shine, while Nguyen Le, especially, exposes his unique guitar playing, which can be defined by a strong use of delay and reverb, as well as strikingly precise microtonal bends over the fretboard.

As on his earlier albums, a number of guest musicians appear, adding flutes, vocals and other, mostly ethnic, flavors to the already colorful pallet. These ornamenting elements also accompany the "Rumah Batu Suite," which is situated at the core of the record and represents the fusion side of things. Soundscapes, vocal exercises and a variety of other percussions grow apart and back together again, when, after the four-minute mark, a pulsating jam takes over. The second part of the suite is one long improvisation and of an intense atmospheric nature. Though the soundscapes cloud the sonic image, double bass and piano are able to wrestle themselves through the haze and establish a mystic pulse, reminiscent of late 60s / early 70s Miles.

Tracklist:

01 - Rintak Rebana
02 - Paris Barantai
03 - Impenan
04 - Janger
05 - Rumah Batu Suite, Part 1: Kaili
06 - Rumah Batu Suite, Part 2: Perjalanan
07 - Samarkand
08 - Salamatkan Orang Utan

Produced by Dwiki Dharmawan & Leonardo Pavkovic.
Recorded by Jesus Rovira Costas on May 15 & 16, 2017, at La Casa Murada studio in Banyeres del Penédes, Catalunya, Spain.
Mixed & Mastered by Mark Wingfield at Heron Island Studio, Cambridgeshire, England.

Musicians:
Dwiki Dharmawan - acoustic piano
Nguyên Lê - electric guitar, soundscapes
Carles Benavent - bass guitar
Yaron Stavi - upright bass
Asaf Sirkis - drums
Special guests:
Sa'at Syah - suling flute, vocals (tracks 1,2,3,4,7,8)
Ade Rudiana - kendang percussion (1,2,3,4,7,8)
Dewi Gita - lead vocal (3)
Teuku Hariansya - Rapa'I Acehnese percussions (1)
Indra Maulana Keubitbit - Rapa'I Acehnese percussions (1)
Nyoman Windha's Gamelan Jass Jegog - Balinese gamelan & percussions (4)
Samiet - vocals and LaLove traditional Sulawesi flute (6)


Thanks to the Original customer!