Suara Naga

Arrington De Dionyso developed a following as the frontman for Old Time Relijun, and in 2009, Arrington De Dionyso’s Malaikat Dan Singa, released its debut, and followed it up with 2011’s Suara Naga. In the 1970s, the innovative German rock group Can recorded material they dubbed the “Ethnological Forgery Series,” innovative tracks that were influenced by ethnic music. With Malaikat Dan Singa, De Dionyso runs with this idea. Singing in self-taught Indonesian, he leads a group that sounds like a garage band interpreting traditional forms of unknown origin. “Kerasukan” finds De Dionyso letting loose wildman vocals over little more than a pulse, scattershot drums, and raw guitar interjections. The instrumental “Blanglala Batin” comes off like Indonesian surf music as played by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. “Baru Limunan” has the edge of post-punk, but instead of a coolly declaiming singer, we find the unbridled De Dionyso holding forth. Suara Naga is quite a ride: if you ever wondered what throat singing backed by chugging rhythms and artful noise would sound like, you’ll find that here, too.