Malaikat Dan Singa

by Arrington de Dionyso

Overview

Washington state-based multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Arrington DeDionyso has a penchant for merging the constants of rock music with the vagaries of ethnic elements. In a gibberish-sounding vocal dialect that approaches Esperanto and Spanish, but is actually Indonesian translations, and inspired by the Zohar, William Blake, and David Scherer, DeDionyso also holds a distinct tonal allegiance to David Byrne. Instrumentally, he might also enjoy Albert Ayler or Eric Dolphy, African tribal sounds, raga-type drones, and especially alternative or punk rock. Many of the tracks feature him overdubbed on a variety of drums, keyboards, and woodwinds (especially bass clarinet), but he also employs helpmate Karl Blau on bass, drums, keyboards, and guitar, in the main. The campy and upbeat "Kedalaman Air" sounds as if it's on acid, but has no small share of joy in the way DeDionyso enunciates the lyrics. In exotic and kinetic phrases, "Mahkota Kotor" might sound nonsensical, but is cohesive in the Bizarro world, while a plaintive, serene, even pleasant "TakTerbatas" more closely reflects Pan-Asian values, accented by the viola of Jordan Dykstra. A bonus instrumental track, "Tenaga Halusinasi," at over 13 minutes, carries the spatial, meditative quality to an eventual and logical conclusion in a larger grouping with Dykstra, DeDionyso's bass clarinet, Blau's bass, drummer Andrew Dorsett, and the sruti box as played by Angelo Spencer. The snarly vocal attitude and heavy tribal beat of "Mani Maliakat," the space klang and contrasting singing on "Mencerminkan Mani Malaikat," and minimal repeat phrases of the harder rock-edged, punkish "Nama Bersembunyi" offer the starkest of contrasts. Then there are the devil drones surrounding the bompity bomp beat of "Rasa Senuth," splashing drum accents tossed in the fan blades of "Ruang Dan Viartu," or the three-beat industrial percussion workout "Mencerminkan Mahkota Kotor," urging the bleating contralto clarinet of the leader. Raw, wicked, totally quirky yet worldly, Arrington DeDionyso has hit upon an interesting, certainly unique new fusion sound far removed from the Bali-based gamelan or Java folkloric music it purports to stem from. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Product Details

Release Date:	11/03/2009
Label:	K. RECORDS
UPC:	0789856121526

Tracks

1. Kedalaman Air
2. Mani Malaikat
3. Mencerminkan Mani Malaikat
4. Nama Bersembunyi
5. Mahkota Kotor
6. Mencerminkan Mahkota Kotor
7. Rasa Sentuh
8. Ruang Dan Waktu
9. Tak Terbatas
10. Cahaya Bahaya
11. Tenaga Halusinasi

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Arrington de Dionyso   Primary Artist,Drums,Organ,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Clarinet (Bass)
Karl Blau   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Percussion,Moog Synthesizer,Guitar (12 String)
Andrew Dorsett   Drums
Aaron Hartman   Bass (Upright)
Benjamin Hartman   Organ,Sax (Baritone)
Germaine Baca   Drums
Angelo Spencer   Percussion,Shruti Box
Jordan Dykstra   Viola

Technical Credits

Karl Blau   Engineer
Sarah Cass   Layout Design
Mariella Luz   Licensing
Arrington de Dionyso   Composer,Translation