“Forget Tomorrow”, Macha
“Forget Tomorrow”, Macha, Jetset Records, 2004
If you are looking for a combination of gamelan (Indonesian pitched percussion instruments) and eighties music, Macha is for you. In fact, they pretty much have the field to itself.
Actually, on “Forget Tomorrow” the gongs and xylophones of gamelan are not used much, and only as background along with synthesized beats. The eighties sound reigns, however. About half of the thirteen tracks have world-weary vocals that evoke memories of the days of disco.
There is a theme on “Forget Tomorrow,” which is summed up by the anime-like pictures on the sleeve. The front shows a young Asian woman about to be injected with a syringe, while the back shows another about to take a handful of pills. Titles like “C’mon C’mon Oblivion,” “Back In Baby’s Arm,” and the title track reinforce the flavor of degeneracy.
The songs do not particularly fit the theme, since the vocals are laconic and distant, without much emotion. Neither do the instrumentals, which are somewhat ambient.
The instrumentals are the most interesting. “d-d-d” and “Paper Tiger” are intriguing combinations of electric guitar, beats, and far eastern instrumentation. “While the People Sleep” is understated and spooky. “Calming Passengers” and “Sub II” have lovely melodies.
Overall, this is not compelling music, but it does create an air of mystery and it evokes exotic places. Anyone who liked earlier Macha CDs should be satisfied with this one.
-Dave Howell
(This article first appeared in the FMSound music site.)
If you are looking for a combination of gamelan (Indonesian pitched percussion instruments) and eighties music, Macha is for you. In fact, they pretty much have the field to itself.
Actually, on “Forget Tomorrow” the gongs and xylophones of gamelan are not used much, and only as background along with synthesized beats. The eighties sound reigns, however. About half of the thirteen tracks have world-weary vocals that evoke memories of the days of disco.
There is a theme on “Forget Tomorrow,” which is summed up by the anime-like pictures on the sleeve. The front shows a young Asian woman about to be injected with a syringe, while the back shows another about to take a handful of pills. Titles like “C’mon C’mon Oblivion,” “Back In Baby’s Arm,” and the title track reinforce the flavor of degeneracy.
The songs do not particularly fit the theme, since the vocals are laconic and distant, without much emotion. Neither do the instrumentals, which are somewhat ambient.
The instrumentals are the most interesting. “d-d-d” and “Paper Tiger” are intriguing combinations of electric guitar, beats, and far eastern instrumentation. “While the People Sleep” is understated and spooky. “Calming Passengers” and “Sub II” have lovely melodies.
Overall, this is not compelling music, but it does create an air of mystery and it evokes exotic places. Anyone who liked earlier Macha CDs should be satisfied with this one.
-Dave Howell
(This article first appeared in the FMSound music site.)